Cultural Parallax and Content Analysis: Images of Black Women in High School History Textbooks

Abstract

This study investigates the representation of Black women in high school history textbooks. To examine the extent to which Black women are represented visually and to explore how they are portrayed, the authors use a mixed-methods approach that draws on analytical techniques in content analysis and from visual culture studies. Their findings reveal that Black women are marginalized in high school history textbooks. Also, the authors argue that despite this dearth of Black women, they are portrayed in a greater variety of roles in the major Black history textbook on the market for secondary students. The study concludes by deriving a framework by which others may interpret the representation of Black women in texts and other curricular materials and by challenging traditional content analyses by bringing the notion of cultural parallax to bear on the widely used content analysis methodology.

Keywords:

• gender
• intersectionality
• media literacy
• race
• visual literacy
• women’s history

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christine Woyshner

CHRISTINE WOYSHNER is a Professor of Education in the Teaching and Learning Department and an Affiliated Faculty Member in Women’s Studies and Urban Education at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Jessica B. Schocker

JESSICA B. SCHOCKER is an Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education and Women’s Studies at The Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus, Reading, PA 19610. She can be contacted at [email protected].