A Comparative Study of the Concept of Homeland in Farsi Textbooks in Iran and Al-Arabiya Textbooks in Syria in Primary Schools

One of the issues that is worthy of investigation in the field of comparative literature is the content of textbooks and how they deal with different issues faced by students. Homeland and national identity are the topics that have always been considered in education and the textbooks of different countries have paid attention to them in various ways. The current research intends to study the concept of homeland and national identity in the Farsi and Al-Arabiya textbooks of Iran and Syria based on the American school of thought in comparative literature. The studied books are six Persian language and six Arabic language textbooks updated due to the latest changes in the textbooks of Iran and Syria. The findings from comparing the main elements of homeland in Iran indicate that, in Farsi textbooks for primary schools, the highest importance is given to the elements of religious identity and Islamic homeland. On the contrary, in Al-Arabiya textbooks, paying attention to the Arabic language and writing and not paying attention to religious elements are striking. Praising the combatants and martyrs of the homeland, introducing the natural attractions, geographical, historical, and cultural heritages, and paying less attention to ethnic identity are common points in the textbooks of both countries