Social change, competition and inequality: macro societal patterns reflected in curriculum practices of Turkish schools

Abstract

Curriculum reforms provide a unique opportunity to investigate how in times of social change education is not only influenced by, but also itself a driver of, competition and inequality. This article sheds light on a specific instance of how macro-societal patterns in education intermingle in twenty-first century Turkey by inquiring into a major curriculum reform in primary schools. To compare the diverse ways newly introduced curricula were put into practice across the country, five schools located in the countryside or in socio-economically varying urban neighbourhoods were investigated. The interpretation of group discussions with parents and teachers, as well as expert interviews with school principals using the Documentary Method, revealed divergent classroom practices related to three areas: generational differences among teachers, unequal access to resources for certain schools and for parents’ milieux. These areas are all the result of social change in Turkey.