Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v22i0.4128
Nations and Numbers: Elementary Mathematics Education as a Nationalizing Tool
Lukas Boser
; Institute of Primary Education University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland Obere Sternengasse 7, Postfach 1360, 4502 Solothurn, Switzerland
Abstract
One of the central elements of the nation-building process in the 19th century was
the attempt to homogenize the citizenry, i.e. to fabricate national citizens. Besides
the military and church, schools were considered to be the main agencies capable of
achieving this national homogenization. In this paper, focusing on the education in
Switzerland and France, I argue that elementary mathematics education was also
used for this particular purpose. I make the case that throughout the 19th century
mathematics education became a way to familiarize the people with a standardized
language – a language that was supposed to help them master their specific social,
cultural and political realities.
Keywords
mathematics education; nation building; Standard Language Ideology; state formation
Hrčak ID:
248118
URI
Publication date:
17.12.2020.
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