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Discrimination in the education system and curricula is not limited to disadvantaged groups, and this issue is also evident in textbook content. The important role of textbooks in classrooms is undeniable. In this regard, the present study examined Iranian high school English textbooks named the “Vision” and “Prospect” series, as well as one of the localized English textbook series in Iran, the “Eight” series, focusing on the images contained in these books. In this study, Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA), proposed by Machin and Mayr (2012), was employed as the theoretical framework to critically examine the images in these textbooks. The findings of this study showed that a form of neoliberalism, as conceptualized by Fairclough (1993), is present in these books, the consequence of which is the depiction of luxurious and lavish schools instead of ordinary schools; this does not benefit underprivileged groups, as they are unable to afford the costs of privatization and are dependent on government support. In addition, in the “Eight” series, images based on the target-language culture are more frequently observed. This can prompt greater attention to images rooted in Iranian culture, which would help learners better understand the content and make it more tangible for them. This study can offer suggestions for improving and enhancing the “Eight” series.
 

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Abstract
This paper offers a critical exploration of the postwar psychological and political terrain depicted in David Hare’s Plenty, with a particular emphasis on the interplay of power and emergent political trajectories. Anchored in Organski’s Power Transition Theory, the study interrogates the residual impacts of World War II on personal identity formation and shifting power dynamics. Employing a single-case cultural analysis centered on the character of Susan Traherne, the research foregrounds the tension between wartime idealism and the pervasive disillusionment of the postwar period. Through qualitative and interpretive methodologies—drawing on frameworks from political psychology and critical discourse analysis—the study uncovers the ways in which sociopolitical ruptures destabilize subjectivity and reconfigure hegemonic structures. The findings reveal that Plenty stages the disintegration of ideological coherence and the psychological ramifications of geopolitical transformation, ultimately portraying individual crises as symptomatic reflections of broader global realignments.

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IELTS writing is a critical factor in facilitating academic and professional mobility and success of both EFL learners and non-English majors globally. This study systematically identifies and categorizes the principal research themes, methodological trends, learners’ challenges, and proposed solutions through a scoping review of the previous literature. In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, relevant studies on IELTS writing task 2 were identified and screened from Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and ResearchGate. Through a multi-stage screening process based on rigorous exclusion and inclusion criteria, 30 peer-reviewed studies were selected for the final content analysis. Thematic content analysis employing manual open coding was applied to these chosen studies in order to identify the recurring patterns regarding the themes, methodology, problems, and solutions. The analysis yielded five primary themes: linguistic features, cross-linguistic transfer, pedagogical interventions, assessment and washback, and emerging AI-based evaluation. The findings showed that IELTS writing research is mainly employing qualitative approach, followed by mixed-methods, making use of corpus analysis, discourse analysis, surveys, and classroom interventions. According to these studies, candidates consistently face challenges in grammar, lexical range, coherence, L1 transfer, and task management, while the proposed solutions strongly emphasize genre-based instruction, model-essay noticing, contrastive rhetoric teaching, focused feedback, strategy training, and AI-supported diagnostic tools.