Multiculturalism, Inclusion, and Marginality in MarathiLanguage Textbooks

Satish Bhalerao | pp. 92-104

Abstract :
Language textbooks are uniquely positioned to reflect cultural diversity within a region and foster social cohesion. The study reported in the paper aims to measure the inclusivity of secondary school (grades 8, 9 and 10) Marathi language textbooks prescribed for Marathi-medium schools by the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production & Curriculum Research during the academic year 2017–18. Drawing on Banks’ theory of ulticulturalism, the study defines inclusivity as the representation of narratives from diverse communities and regions, with the intent to reduce prejudice and bias. When portraying a community, diversity within its narratives is essential. Drawing from a multicultural perspective, the paper argues that such inclusivity can enhance social cohesion and improve academic performance, particularly among marginalised groups. To evaluate the inclusiveness of the textbooks, the study employed content analysis alongside the deconstruction method. While the content analysis method measures the frequency and nature of the appearance s, deconstruction uncovers what the textbooks marginalise, render supplemental, exclude, and eliminate. The study concludes that the textbooks not only lack diverse literary voices but also perpetuate stereotypes through limited and marginal representations.

Keywords: Multiculturalism, Marathi textbooks, inclusivity, representation, critical textbook analysis