TEACHING OBEDIENCE:A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL IDEOLOGY

Abstract

This study examines how English textbooks in Pakistan function as instruments for the construction and dissemination of national ideology. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the paper analyzes the linguistic, visual, and thematic representations within selected textbooks to reveal how obedience, conformity, and patriotic values are subtly inculcated among students. The study argues that English textbooks, while ostensibly designed to teach language skills, also operate as vehicles for ideological socialization, shaping students’ perceptions of citizenship, morality, and national identity. Texts and illustrations often normalize hierarchical relationships, gender roles, and socio-political narratives that reinforce state-centric ideology. Drawing on Fairclough’s CDA framework, this study identifies recurrent discursive strategies, such as positive evaluation of authority figures, selective historical narratives, and emotive language, which collectively naturalize obedience and loyalty. The findings underscore the role of educational materials in reproducing hegemonic power structures and highlight the need for critical engagement with textbooks to foster critical citizenship. By interrogating the intersection of language, education, and ideology, this research contributes to the growing field of critical pedagogy and offers insights for curriculum reform that balance language acquisition with independent thought and ethical reasoning.