Unmasking racism: Guidelines for educational materials

Racist ideologies and discrimination continue to be a global problem.

They are still widespread in our societies and rooted in different channels that enable their diffusion. Racism in education materials is a prevalent issue that must be addressed.

These Guidelines intend to increase awareness and improve understanding of how racism manifests itself in educational materials and to provide guidance on how to counter this phenomenon.

Indeed, educational materials are not neutral. They can be used to convey a particular worldview and self-perception, social values and norms as well as to underpin an existing social and political order. Textbook studies from around the world show that textbooks frequently perpetuate or condone racist stereotypes instead of promoting more inclusive and respectful societies.

This publication is aimed at textbook developers, authors and curriculum writers to support them in identifying how racism manifests itself in educational materials and ensuring that racist content is removed from such materials.