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In short, this set of semiotic features, of representational resources, suggests and
implies, and I would wish to say, over the longer period produces a particular
disposition, a particular habitus and, in so doing, plays its part in the production of a
certain kind of subjectivity, a subjectivity with certain orientations to ‘rationality.’
(as cited in Widdowson, 1998, p. 139)
Language use within curriculum documents has also been identified as a way the curriculum
attempts to communicate implicit common sense understandings, which depending on the
teacher will vary significantly with no common term existing for certain terms (see, for
example the link of common sense to global education in Dyer, 2005; and the link between
common sense to social education in Gilbert, 2003). An example is identified by Halbert in
her analysis of the 2004 Modern History syllabus for senior years in Queensland and writes
of the citizenship aims:
Specific aims listed in the rationale...are imbedded with key terms that are used
without definition, and thus, effectively draw on assumed commonsense meanings.
Thus, for instance the opening phrase includes the term ‘society’s citizens’ (QSA,
2004, p. 1). It offers no definition of either ‘society’ or ‘citizen’. Such terms are
richly complex... (2006, p. 4)
Disagreeing with the notion of a firm common sense is also identified by British historian
Arthur Marwick in the general theory of historical research, whereby he writes:
...history is based on the primary sources, and the primary sources left by past
societies can reveal beliefs and actions which totally defy what would today be
considered ‘common sense’. Commons sense might tell us that when misery, and
oppression, and injustice are heaped on subordinate peoples, they will rise up in
revolt; but this is by no means necessarily the case...Human beings in the past have
not always, or even usually, behaved completely rationally...so common sense is a
poor guide to how, and why, people behaved in the past. (2001, p. 249, emphasis
added)
In this statement, Marwick clearly articulates practical examples to support his perspective
that common sense cannot be used by historians to explain the behaviours and actions of
people. This links broadly with the topic of this section, being that common sense as a term
used in historical study and research is problematic.
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