Knowledge Hub

School textbooks play an important role in shaping identity, attitudes, (Cantoni et al., 2017; Cantoni and Yuchtman, 2013; Chen et al., 2023; Lee, 2023; Miguel, 2004), and norms (Dhar et al., 2022; Mehmood et al., 2022). Controversy over school book content is high in many countries including the US, where book bans continue today. The introduction of secular textbooks was critical in the political development of the religious right in America, and led to school boycotts, a shooting, and a bombing (Kincheloe, 1983). Despite the potential importance of books for norms, still little is known quantitatively and systematically about the extent of biases in school books around the world.