Law and Justice in the Discussion of Military Conflicts in Russian Secondary School World History Textbooks

Tatyana Kudryavtseva,Vladimir Zemlyanicyn

doi:10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6p84

Abstract

The paper analyzes the treatment of military conflicts and their legal resolution in current Russian history textbooks for secondary school (grades 5-9), particularly in regard to shaping the students' notions of “just war”, “just peace” as well as the legitimacy of making certain decisions in the international relations sphere. The conducted analysis allows us to claim that Russian secondary school world history textbooks only touch upon the issues of justice and law. The textbooks are critical of military ways of resolving international conflicts, and declare the importance and the fundamental possibility of diplomatic solutions. They really shape the concept of a just war, but the legal evaluation of the opposing parties' actions is practically inexistent. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6p84

Highlights

The Federal State Education Standard for secondary education that is to become mandatory for all Russian schools as of September 1, 2015, contains requirements for personal competency results of education
The chief burden is certainly placed upon the Russian history course, it is closely interlaced with the world history course, and implies the reinforcement of the character-building component in the world history courses
While we are not aspiring to a comprehensive analysis of the current world history textbooks' morale-building potential, we will attempt to discern the ways in which world history courses shape the notions of law and justice in international relations and military conflicts

Summary

Introduction

The Federal State Education Standard for secondary education (hereinafter FSES) that is to become mandatory for all Russian schools as of September 1, 2015, contains requirements for personal competency results of education. While we are not aspiring to a comprehensive analysis of the current world history textbooks' morale-building potential, we will attempt to discern the ways in which world history courses shape the notions of law and justice in international relations and military conflicts. Our attention to this particular agenda is bound by the fact that the issues of making certain decisions in international relations and their relationship to historical justice are especially volatile in the current discourse within Russia, which, directly or vicariously, has undoubtedly impacted the way in which history is taught in school. Since the mastering of the FSES-based educational programs will be based on the textbooks listed in the Federal index, the source base for our research seems sufficient for obtaining objective results

Discussion of the Research Outcomes

Conclusion