Curricular Alienation: Multiculturalism, Tolerance, and Immigrants in Dutch Primary School History Textbooks

The stories found in history textbooks are profound statements about how nations see themselves. Textbooks that exclude certain groups alienate these children, leading to educational disengagement. The Netherlands is known internationally for its tolerance and multiculturalism, particularly toward immigrants, and sees these elements as critical to their national identity. However, historical and contemporary policies and social attitudes toward immigrants reveal levels of racism and xenophobia not unlike their European peers. This article examines how immigrants, multiculturalism, and tolerance are represented in all Dutch primary school history textbooks published between 1980 and 2011. I find textbooks depict immigrant groups as culturally different outsiders from underdeveloped, poor, and violent nations who cause problems for the Dutch society that benevolently allows them entry. Textbooks fail to meaningfully address discrimination in the Netherlands, suggesting that immigrants’ failure to integrate is due to cultural differences, which will alienate immigrant students encountering these texts and white students from immigrant peers. Findings are of relevance to all nations with student immigrant populations, particularly those experiencing increasing anti-immigrant sentiment or the rise of far right politicians