Final answer:
The 'contending voices' concept in textbooks like the 'Dueling Voices' showcases historical debates or differing reports of events, aiming to encourage critical thinking and analysis of history's complexities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'contending voices' typically refers to a feature in many history textbooks where differing opinions, interpretations, or accounts of historical events are presented side by side. This method is used to encourage critical thinking and to highlight that historical narratives can be diverse and subject to debate. The referenced Dueling Voices feature showcases either an ongoing historical debate or contrasting reports regarding the same event or idea as they were written at the time of occurrence.
Major historical debates often revolve around sensitive or controversial topics, such as the narrative presented in Japan's textbooks about its actions during World War II, highlighted in Thomas Crampton's 2002 New York Times article. Another example is Melvin L. Kohn's 1977 'Class and Conformity: A Study in Values', which investigates the relationship between social class and personal values, reflecting the varying perspectives on societal structures. Data from sources such as the General Social Surveys provides empirical evidence that can support various positions in these historical debates.
The relevance of these debates in a textbook is to provide students with over different perspectives and to encourage analysis beyond the book. This approach helps to develop a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of history and the importance of considering keywords and concepts in one's study.