The place of diversity within history and the challenge of policy and curriculum

Abstract

This article is a position paper which examines the political and public discourse around the areas of diversity and social cohesion, and history teaching. It examines the nature of these discourses and shows how they are in tension. Although discourse around diversity often has a focus on mutual understanding and finding areas of commonality, the discourse around history often focuses on the need to provide a sense of identity through a national story. By focusing on a discussion about the purposes of history, rather than merely on debates about content, it is suggested that these discourses can be brought more closely into line and produce a more productive line of policy debate.

Keywords:

• diversity
• social cohesion
• history teaching
• purposes
• policy discourses

Notes

1. The ‘new right’ is a term used to describe a series of influential right wing ideas that emerged during the 1980s. The ‘new right’ were committed to neo-liberal economic and socially conservative ideas, and in education their ideas are seen as supporting a ‘traditional style’ curriculum, whilst opening up education to market forces.