Banal National Culture in Algerian EFL Textbooks: My Book of English .

Résumé

In this digital age, the world is turning into a monocultural one. Textbook authors and teachers are torn between the necessity of developing students’ cultural literacy and protecting the Algerian national identity. This research investigates the place of banal national culture in My Book of English and teachers’ attitudes towards banal nationalism in the classroom. Indeed, the textbook evaluation reveals that the authors seek to promote national identity by incorporating Algerian national symbols. They also incorporate elements from the British/American and the Arab/Islamic world. Teachers’ attitudes correlate with the textbook’s orientation reaffirming the necessity of being aware of the other without necessarily losing our identity.