Critical Lenses on Classroom Histories: Gender, Power, and Faircloughian CDA in The Tudors: England 1485–1603

This study investigates gender representation in the history textbook The Tudors: England 1485–1603 (Oxford University Press, 2015) through Fairclough’s three-dimensional CDA, and it offers findings relevant to scholars, educators, and researchers interested in the ideological dimensions of curriculum materials. Addressing a research gap in history-textbook studies, the analysis focuses on a 500-word excerpt where women first receive individual attention. This examination prioritises the micro-level (textual features) and the macro-level (broader sociocultural practice), while interweaving meso-level considerations of discourse practice to situate analytical findings. Micro-level textual analysis reveals systematic use of passive constructions when women are acted upon, lexical choices that frame marriage as a male-controlled institution, and recurrent identification of female figures through their relationships to men. Meso-level considerations situate these patterns within textbook production and classroom use, highlighting how alignment with the National Curriculum and A-level assessment prioritises political narratives centred on male agency. The macro-level discussion connects the textbook's discourse to wider patriarchal ideologies that still shape contemporary gender disparities in the United Kingdom. The findings demonstrate that subtle linguistic choices perpetuate female passivity, reinforce male supremacy, and instrumentalise women’s reproductive roles, thereby normalising historical gender hierarchy for student readers. This article, by presenting a detailed critical discourse analysis, not only shares specific research outcomes but also aims to support the growth of educational researchers by exemplifying a methodological approach to a common challenge in curriculum studies. It argues for systematic revision of educational materials to ensure balanced representation of gender and to foster critical engagement with historical narratives, an endeavor pertinent to educators, particularly those working with high school students, and all those committed to more equitable educational practices and the exploration of marginalised perspectives in educational content.