More than Migrants? Representations of Wo/Men of Colour in Dutch Language Textbooks
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| Title: | More than Migrants? Representations of Wo/Men of Colour in Dutch Language Textbooks |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Dietha Koster (ORCID |
| Source: | Language Teaching Research. 2026 30(5):2923-2944. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 22 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Textbook Content, Second Language Learning, Indo European Languages, Disproportionate Representation, Minority Groups, Immigrants, Social Bias, Diversity, Ethnicity, Whites, Sex, Pictorial Stimuli, Social Status |
| Geographic Terms: | Netherlands |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13621688231198420 |
| ISSN: | 1362-1688 1477-0954 |
| Abstract: | Textbooks constitute important learning tools in foreign language education and should depict ethnic and gender diversity. This article responds to calls for intersectional textbook research and addresses the following question: How diverse are representations of wo/men of colour in comparison with white wo/men in sparsely researched Dutch language textbooks? We performed content analysis of six frequently used textbooks for learning Dutch, examining pictures, texts and (audio-recorded) dialogues. Results show an underrepresentation of People of Colour (PoC) in comparison with demographic statistics. In contrast with white wo/men, PoC are featured in a limited range of low-status roles (e.g. migrant), except for in one textbook. Countries and cities are Eurocentric and Netherlands-centric, there is little variety in terms of accented speech in dialogues, and non-native speakers utter sentences that frame them as dependent. These findings build on the body of (Anglocentric) textbook research from a cultural studies' perspective, help determine the degree to which educational materials meet diversity demands in language education policies, and what alternative 'realities' could arise. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://www.iris-database.org/details/PBHHr-LUDIe |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1508456 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Textbooks constitute important learning tools in foreign language education and should depict ethnic and gender diversity. This article responds to calls for intersectional textbook research and addresses the following question: How diverse are representations of wo/men of colour in comparison with white wo/men in sparsely researched Dutch language textbooks? We performed content analysis of six frequently used textbooks for learning Dutch, examining pictures, texts and (audio-recorded) dialogues. Results show an underrepresentation of People of Colour (PoC) in comparison with demographic statistics. In contrast with white wo/men, PoC are featured in a limited range of low-status roles (e.g. migrant), except for in one textbook. Countries and cities are Eurocentric and Netherlands-centric, there is little variety in terms of accented speech in dialogues, and non-native speakers utter sentences that frame them as dependent. These findings build on the body of (Anglocentric) textbook research from a cultural studies' perspective, help determine the degree to which educational materials meet diversity demands in language education policies, and what alternative 'realities' could arise. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1362-1688 1477-0954 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13621688231198420 |
