Cultura Franca: Investigating cultural gradations of Indonesian as a foreign language textbook

Abstract The concept of culture is intricate, and there is ongoing debate regarding which cultural categories should be emphasised in language instruction. This research examines the cultura franca, inspired by the notion of lingua franca, as a cultural expression that encapsulates the collective identity of a community and deserves inclusion in the textbook of Indonesian as a foreign language. The study analyses explicitly the Sahabatku Indonesia Level 1 textbook, an official resource published by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia. The study employs a qualitative content analysis method that involves identifying, analysing, and categorising cultural representations within the textbook. The cultural elements within this textbook are categorised into three classifications: local, national, and global culture. The findings reveal a discrepancy in the representation of cultural elements among local, national, and global categories. Furthermore, there is a discernible tourism bias in the textbooks, which restricts the cultural landscape to what is perceived as normative and valuable. This study provides practical recommendations for integrating Cultura Franca into foreign language textbooks.