What is our perception of the Ottoman Turks, or how are they presented in Croatian history textbooks and the outlines / overviews of Croatian history Cover Image

Tko su za nas Turci / Osmanlije? Ili kako su predstavljeni u hrvatskim udžbenicima povijesti i sintezama / pregledima hrvatske povijesti
What is our perception of the Ottoman Turks, or how are they presented in Croatian history textbooks and the outlines / overviews of Croatian history

Author(s): Damir Agičić
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Instytut Slawistyki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: History of Croatia; handbooks; historical memory

Summary/Abstract: History textbooks, especially in the Central and East European countries, often contain various single-sided, monocentric, xenophobic views, national exclusiveness, as well as divisions between “us” and “them,” confrontations with the others, etc. The countries with the more developed democratization process find it easier to overcome such difficulties in education, especially in textbooks, because they have no need for self justification and confirmation and have solid institutions addressing the social, economic, and various other rights of individuals. The Ottoman Turks have greatly influenced European, and thus also Croatian, history of the Late Medieval and Early Modern time. The author describes the position taken towards Ottoman invasions and rule in history textbooks and recent outlines of Croatian history. Both the textbooks and the analyzed outlines are found to contain two opposed views of Croatian history – one is ethno-centric, exuberating national past and often offers a prejudiced view of our neighbours, while the other is more modern and presents a more open and concrete overview of Croatian past. The paper lists a number of examples confirming such results.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 11
  • Page Range: 241-251
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Croatian