Trends and patterns of gender research in Indonesian folktales: Implications for primary education

Abstract

The increasing awareness of researchers on the importance of gender equality in various fields influences the field of Indonesian literature. Folktales that have been considered as a source of noble values ​​began to be re-evaluated. Various forms of depiction that allegedly contain gender injustice are questioned. However, attention to gender issues in Indonesian folktales and their significance to education has not received serious attention. Using the Google Scholar database regarding the publication of scientific journals of Indonesian researchers in 2015-2021, this paper identifies patterns and trends of Indonesian researchers in analyzing gender issues in Indonesian folktales. Furthermore, a discussion of the implications of these findings for education is presented. This paper argues that the study of gender issues in folktales is still primarily focused on textual analysis. Applied research is needed that focuses on efforts to reconstruct stories from a gender perspective and use them in students’ reading texts, especially in primary education. In Indonesia, at the primary education level, folktales are often used as children’s reading material. Through these studies, an understanding of gender equality can be taught from an early age.