Cultural Identity and Gender Representation: A Comparative Study of Cultural Figures in English and Italian Textbooks for Foreign Learners

This article offers an overview of the presence of prominent figures from British, American, and Italian
cultures in English and Italian language textbooks designed for foreign learners. The acquisition of a
foreign language necessarily involves understanding the sociocultural norms and values associated
with it. Consequently, language textbooks increasingly include lexical and visual elements that serve
as vehicles for the culture of the target language. The study focuses on identifying names and
corresponding images of culturally significant individuals within six textbooks—three for English and
three for Italian—targeted at intermediate-level learners. These textbooks, published within the last ten
years, are currently used in foreign language classes at the Goce Delcev University in Stip, North
Macedonia. The selected examples are examined according to several parameters, including the
relative frequency of female and male representations, the type of material used (textual mentions or
visual illustrations), and the relationship between text and image (whether accompanied by descriptive
context or not). Furthermore, the analysis takes into account the domains of activity associated with
the represented figures and incorporates a diachronic comparison to identify changes in cultural
representation across textbook editions over time.
Keywords: textbooks, culture, foreign language, gender representation, sociocultural competence, cultural
awareness