This thesis studies the construction of gender and national identity in Arabic, French, and English language Algerian textbooks. The dataset of this study is constituted of 12 textbooks currently used in Algerian middle schools. This study employs Critical Discourse Analysis to uncover the discursive mechanisms involved in the construction of gender and Algerian identity in each language. The findings show that Algeria’s national identity is built upon three main pillars: Arabism, Islam, and colonialism. These themes appear across all three language datasets. Islam is central in Arabic textbooks; itis the blueprint for the writing of many texts in the Arabic dataset. The presence of Islam is limited to religious contexts in the other datasets. Arabism is central in both Arabic and French datasets. In the French dataset, Arab identity mainly occurs in the colonial context, clashing with French identity. In Arabic textbooks, however, Arab identity extends beyond colonialism, constructing it as an identity of a larger united Arab Muslim nation. French colonization is overwhelmingly present in Arabic and French textbooks and less so in English textbooks. This presence shows that Algeria’s national identity is still constructed in opposition to its former colonizer, trapping it in a colonial time loop. The English dataset constructs Algeria’s identity for a foreign touristic gaze, introducing the reader to Algeria’s culture and customs. This superficial representation reflects the status of English as a foreign language in Algeria and its function as an international lingua franca. Amazigh identity is either systematically denied or marked in the three datasets. This markedness sets it apart from the rest of Algeria and leads to its exclusion from Algeria’s national identity. The construction of gender identity in the three datasets reflects traditional patriarchal ideology. Feminine subjects are constructed as non-agents compared to masculine subjects, and heroism is constructed as a default masculine property and as an exceptional feminine property. In terms of physical appearance, the construction of masculine and feminine subjects in the three datasets is informed by traditional gender norms. Beauty is constructed as a feminine property and is discursively concealed in masculinity. This thesis argues that the monolithic construction of gender and national identity in Algeria intersect and reinforce one another through constructing a binary, change-resistant mindset. It also critiques the decolonial and diversity policies behind these textbooks, showing how they create new forms of exclusion and oppression.
The construction of gender and national identity in Algerian textbooks
Chayani, S. (Author). Oct 2025
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis