| The functional grammar component of the systemic functional model of linguistics is used to examine whether the 88 officially approved high school history textbooks used in Japan in 1995 present a biased view of history with respect to 4 events in the period 1931-1945 (the Mukden Incident, the Rape of Nanking, the start of the Pacific War, and the Japanese surrender). The conclusion is that the textbooks encode an ideology which serves to protect the negative face of the Japanese State. A more detailed analysis identifies two aspects of this negative face: negative responsibility (the desire, on the part of the State, not to take responsibility for its past actions), and negative coercion (the desire, on the part of the State, not to be seen to be coerced by external forces). It is argued that negative responsibility and negative coercion are encoded in the textbooks not only because of the face-threatening nature of the historical events investigated, but also because this is a natural concomitant result of the structure of governmental and bureaucratic power within the modern Japanese State. The purpose of the current textbook screening and authorization process carried out by the Ministry of Education is not simply to ensure that a particular view of history is taught in schools, but is itself part of the system by which the authority of the State, and the power structure within it, are maintained. The author applies the methods used for analyzing the textbooks to the development of foreign language teaching materials, examples of which are presented. Emphasis is put on learners developing techniques that enable them to question foreign language texts and value their own interpretations of these. This study is of relevance to those interested in functional grammar, critical discourse analysis, ideology and language, face theory, the sociology of education, textbook censorship, hegemonism within education, curricular studies, and foreign language teaching. |
