Masculinity Ideology Through Myanmar Curriculum, Myanmar Language Subject, Secondary School Level

Abstract

This study aims to examine how ideals of masculinity are represented and transmitted through Myanmar language textbooks used at the lower secondary level in the context of the country’s contemporary social changes. As Myanmar undergoes rapid political, social, and cultural transitions, school textbooks continue to function as ideological tools that shape learners’ perceptions of gender roles. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach, using documentary analysis to investigate textual content, narrative structures, illustrations, and character representations related to male roles and expectations. Data were collected from Myanmar language textbooks prescribed by the Ministry of Education and analyzed using thematic and ideological analysis.

The findings reveal three major ideological constructions of masculinity embedded in the textbooks: (1) masculinity in childhood and youth, emphasizing obedience, discipline, moral development, and social responsibility; (2) masculinity in adulthood, portraying men as leaders, protectors, providers, and contributors to national development; and (3) masculinity in old age, highlighting wisdom, dignity, and the role of elder males as moral guides within family and community. These representations reflect traditional Burmese cultural values influenced by Buddhism, hierarchical social structures, and state-endorsed notions of citizenship, while simultaneously showing subtle tensions with the shifting expectations of modern Myanmar society. The study contributes new knowledge by revealing how school textbooks serve as ideological instruments that reinforce normative gender roles and sustain cultural continuity amid social change. The findings underscore the importance of critically examining educational materials to understand how gender identities are shaped, contested, and reproduced within transitional societies such as Myanmar