The role of fine arts curricula in consolidating national identity

Abstract

   Generally this research aims to ground the concept of national identity and uncover the role of art education curricula in enhancing it among students. This is achieved by identifying the manifestations and dimensions of national identity, and analyzing the content of art education curricula in the Sultanate of Oman to reveal the extent to which they incorporate manifestations of Omani national identity, particularly those related to material (tangible) and immaterial (intangible) heritage. Consequently, this contributes to assessing the actual presence of national identity within these curricula and drawing conclusions that can be utilized to develop them, thereby reinforcing their role in consolidating national identity among students.

Chapter I: Methodological Framework of the Research

This chapter addresses the general background of the study, the research problem and its questions, objectives, significance, limitations, and definitions of terms. Furthermore, it clarifies the concept of national identity and its dimensions within the specific scope of the research topic.

Chapter II: Theoretical Framework and Literature Review

This chapter explores the concepts of identity and citizenship along with their manifestations, the role of educational curricula in grounding national identity among students, and the specific role of art education curricula in enhancing national identity. It also illustrates the methods of integrating national identity manifestations into curricula and reviews previous literature and studies relevant to the research topic.

Chapter III: Research Methodology and Procedures

This chapter outlines the research methodology, population, and sample. It details the development of the content analysis instrument, the construction and validation (refereed process) of the analysis scorecard, and the definition of the curricular analysis axes, which focus on the manifestations of national identity through material and immaterial heritage.

Chapter IV: Research Results and Discussion

This chapter presents the findings from the content analysis of the art education curricula regarding the inclusion of national identity manifestations. It analyzes the extent of the presence of material and immaterial heritage elements, as well as their presentation and distribution methods. Finally, it discusses these findings and extracts the final conclusions.