Collective memory and history textbooks

Abstract

This article explores history textbooks as psychological tools that shape collective memory, social representations, and identity. Rather than simply conveying facts, textbooks construct narratives that define group boundaries and influence how societies view themselves and others. Often politicized, they become sites of contestation over inclusion and exclusion. Through a literature review, the article emphasizes the need for a psychological lens on textbook content, form, and function, highlighting their role in reinforcing or challenging dominant narratives, shaping social hierarchies and intergroup relations. It calls for more inclusive and critical approaches to history education.