IMPACT‑se’s France Textbook Review—part of our eight‑country Europe research program— examines how Jews, Judaism, Israel and antisemitism are portrayed across the national history curriculum (Grades 4–9) and leading high school textbooks (Grades 10–12), measuring alignment with UNESCO standards for peace and tolerance.
While the report finds solid content on Jewish-related themes including antisemitism, the Holocaust and Israel, it also highlights gaps that obscure the fuller story of Jewish life. In particular, there is room for expansion on Jewish contributions to French society, Napoleon’s Jewish emancipation and Vichy collaboration during the Holocaust. Due to France’s strict separation of state and religion, Jewish content is included only in historical and civic contexts.
France hosts Europe’s largest Jewish community (about 446,000 people), but antisemitic incidents have surged—from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 in 2023—and high‑profile attacks such as the 2012 Toulouse school shooting and the 2015 Hypercacher supermarket massacre underscore the importance of accurate education.
Swedish textbooks take a respectful and structured approach to complex historical subjects, including Jewish identity and the Holocaust, according to IMPACT-se’s Swedish textbook review. The study finds that Swedish textbooks generally align with curriculum guidelines and present Jews in a historically, demographically, and religiously neutral way. The Holocaust is comprehensively covered, with clear recognition of Jewish victimhood and historical events. Judaism is treated on equal footing with other world religions, and Jewish history and culture are described in detail. Stereotypical or prejudicial depictions are avoided.
However, the report also includes recommendations to further improve the curriculum. These include a critical refutation of antisemitic stereotypes and a full exploration of the reasons behind historical and modern antisemitism. Similarly, while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is included with the intent of balance, it is frequently oversimplified, and consequently greater explanation of ideological perspectives and clarity around key terms is recommended.
IMPACT-se’s analysis of 42 Polish school textbooks highlights important strides in the representation of Jews, Jewish history and the Holocaust. The study reveals growing acknowledgment of Jewish presence inPoland and the community’s contributions to society. The report also spotlights greater efforts to evoke empathy and understanding for Jewish suffering during the Holocaust.The report identifies areas for further improvement, such as addressing lingering antisemitic stereotypes and ensuring balanced narratives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nonetheless, today’s textbooks reflect progress and a commitment to fostering greater inclusivity and historical accuracy in Polish education.
This IMPACT-se report examines Irish school textbooks and reveals concerning misrepresentations of the Holocaust, Judaism, and Israel. Among the findings, the Holocaust is minimized, with Auschwitz incorrectly referred to as a “prisoner of war camp,” diluting its historical reality. Textbooks are often hostile towards Israel and include questions that imply Jewish values are not aligned with peace. Additionally, Judaism is portrayed as condoning violence to promote justice, contrasting with peaceful depictions of other religions. These findings underscore the need for curriculum reform to foster accurate, balanced, and respectful education. This report is the first in a new Europe-wide program assessing textbook portrayals across eight selected countries.