Current Trends in History and Social Studies Textbook Research

This essay gives an overview of major trends in history and social studies textbook research focusing on issues such as textbook revision, identity construction, methodology, textbooks and other educational media, textbooks and society, and the theory and history of educational media. Since textbook research does not exist as a specific academic field it seems to be more correct to speak of textbookrelated research that encompasses a wealth of diverse forms. Its high research output and methodological plurality stands in contrast to its low institutional basis in universities and other academic institutions. The main deficit of the current literature of textbook-related research is the lack of empirical findings on the usage, reception, and effects of textbooks in the classroom and a widespread atheoretical approach to textbook analysis. However, the field is expanding which is reflected by a variety of research approaches conducted from different disciplinary perspectives.