Analysing of the religious courses textbooks through gender (1929-2018)

Gender is an unresolved problem area that has been carried over from the past to the present, although many studies have been carried out by different disciplines, especially in recent years. Due to this problem and the other problem areas it brings with it, many people, especially women, suffer all over the world. This study was carried out through textbooks that have an important effect on the transfer of the gender problem to the future as a deeper problem or by contributing to the solution process. Textbooks, which are an important tool in the realization of formal education, play an active role in getting of gender roles as well as various social and cultural roles. Various studies have proven that gender representations in education materials affect cultural values, behaviors, attitudes, and messages conveyed by gender roles and patterns presented in textbooks shape students' identity, self-esteem development, and attitudes towards gender. For this reason, it is necessary to examine the textbooks, along with all kinds of materials used in education, to be examined in terms of gender, free from prejudices and negative messages, to be prepared with special sensitivity and meticulousness, to be selected and controlled. In this study, the Religious textbooks published by the Turkish Ministry of National Education and used in public schools between 1929 and 2018 were analyzed in terms of gender. In the theoretical part of the research, gender handled with the contexts of gender identity, gender roles, gender stereotypes, and gender discrimination. In this part, qualitative research methods such as document analysis and literature review are used. In the application part of the research, the Religious textbooks used in the 89-year time were divided into periods and analyzed comparatively. Male and female figures in textbooks and texts were subjected to content analysis in terms of gender elements. In all categories determined as a result of the research, in terms of gender factors, numerical superiority was determined in favor of men in all periods.