Belarus from 1917 to the Beginning of the XXI Century in Contemporary Belorussian School Textbooks: Constructing National History

The primary purpose of this Thesis is to analyze the reflection the history of Belarus from 1917 to the beginning of the XXI century found in school history textbooks published in 2006-2019 in the context of educational policy of Alexander Lukashenko's regime. Documents of the Ministry of Education of Belarus as well as media publications containing statements of politicians and other representatives of the state historical policy are used as additional sources. The Thesis presents the analysis of interpretations of key historical events in the narrative of school history textbooks. The language and the terminological apparatus of textbooks alongside auxiliary teaching materials for students are also discussed. An attempt to distinguish and characterize key groups of values which influence the interpretation of historical events is made. It is revealed that said groups also determine the amount of attention paid to different historical events and the nature of certain exceptions from the narrative. The four key groups are defined as: 1) the inertia of the Soviet 2) the idea of a state 3) the idea of the Belorussian nation 4) the political conjuncture of the existence of an independent Belorussian state. The correlation and interconnection of these of groups of values within the historical narrative of textbooks is investigated. The following conclusions are made: 1) the presence of four groups of values in the history textbooks' narrative; 2) the subordinate and instrumental nature of the Soviet value; 3) the State as the primary value; 4) the absence of an established concept of national history of the Soviet and post-Soviet period; 5) the use of eclectic (post)soviet language replete with Marxist terminology with a gradual distancing from it; 6) the absence of a language able to communicate the history of recent decades, manifested in a large number of abstract ideological phraseology; 7) utilizing manipulative techniques in teaching materials in order to make the students form a particular way of thinking.