Theses

Two master’s theses, which constitute significant outputs of our project, have been completed and published in the Council of Higher Education National Thesis Center. These theses are important academic studies that strengthen the scientific foundation of our project by revealing the historical transformation of gender representations in primary school social studies textbooks. The data obtained within the scope of the project offer valuable insights for the reorganization of educational materials from a gender-equality perspective.

The first thesis, titled “The Image of Women in Primary School Social Studies Textbooks (1980–2000)”, was prepared by Sedanur Giley under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahin. This study examines how the image of women was presented in social studies textbooks published between 1980 and 2000, in comparison with representations of men. Conducted within a qualitative research design, the study employed a discourse-historical approach and analyzed six textbooks from the relevant period at both textual and visual levels. The books were digitized and coded using NVivo 15 based on criteria developed through the Delphi technique. The findings indicate that gender roles during this period were largely grounded in traditional norms. Women were predominantly associated with domestic roles, motherhood, and subordinate positions, whereas men were represented through public-sphere, professional, leadership, and power-oriented roles. Although some textbooks contained modern or egalitarian elements, these were not sufficiently widespread to alter the overall pattern. The study concludes that gendered discourses in textbooks reinforce existing gender roles and contribute to their reproduction through education. The limited visibility of women in public and professional domains, alongside the consistent portrayal of men in active and powerful roles, is identified as a significant barrier to gender equality. The thesis recommends increasing balanced, inclusive, and equality-oriented representations in textbooks.

The second thesis, titled “Gender in Primary School Social Studies Textbooks (2000–2023)”, was prepared by Arzum Taşdelen under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şahin. This study investigates how gender images were constructed in social studies textbooks published between 2000 and 2023. Designed within a discourse-historical framework, the research analyzed five textbooks using NVivo 15. Both textual and visual materials were evaluated according to criteria developed via the Delphi method. The findings show that male representations significantly outnumber female representations in the examined textbooks. Women were placed in the background in categories such as professions, actions, and character roles, and were predominantly associated with traditional domestic responsibilities such as housework, childcare, and handicrafts. Men, by contrast, were linked to activities requiring power and mobility—such as operating vehicles, engaging in agriculture and livestock work, participating in sports, and performing public duties. The visual analysis similarly revealed a gender-segregated pattern: male figures were more visible and commonly depicted in public spaces, while female figures appeared primarily in domestic settings. Elements such as occupation, clothing, color use, and spatial positioning were assigned in ways consistent with traditional gender roles. Overall, the findings demonstrate that traditional gender discourses have largely persisted in textbooks even in the post-2000 period.