Making Textbook Content Inclusive: A Focus on Religion, Gender, and Culture

UNESCO has been working on textbook development issues since its inception in 1945 as part of its fundamental mandate to “build peace in the minds of men and women.” The present guide’s primary task is to enable its users to address and counter stereotypes in a variety of educational contexts, through teaching and learning materials. The three key issues – religion, gender and culture – were chosen for their common link to the concept of human diversity. These three potentially controversial topics are important aspects of inclusive education because they help shape the learning environment of a school as well as its educational practices.

The guide was intentionally written in a simple, practical style so as to be immediately accessible to textbook developers, adopters, and users, even those who are working on their own. Although it is designed primarily for textbook authors, curriculum developers, and teachers, it might also be particularly useful for publishers, political stakeholders, and teacher educators.