Analysing historical significance through the representation of couples in South African history textbooks.

Abstract

This study was motivated by the lacuna in academia on the concept of historically significant couples even though historical significance is one of the most cardinal second order concepts in History. Situated within the interpretivist paradigm, this study applies content analysis in answering the only research question in this study: How are historically significant couples represented in South African History textbooks? The findings show that historically significant couples are represented in various ways in the analyzed South African History textbooks. They are represented as couples of contemporary historical significance; couples of pattern historical significance; couples of symbolic historical significance; couples of revelatory historical significance and couples of causal historical significance. Therefore, how are historically significant couples represented in South African history textbooks? They are represented as historically significant based on their influence as a couple in various historically significant events in South Africa.