1 Introduction

Second language textbooks are the core resources of second language education, carrying the culture, values, ideology, and moral norms of the target language country. With the development of globalization and multilingualism, the cultural attributes of second language textbooks are being valued. Empirical research on the cultural content of second language textbooks continues to emerge in international journals, with increasingly diverse research topics and methods. This article analyzes the current status of relevant research in international journals through bibliometric methods, aiming to provide reference and inspiration for the study of second language textbooks in China.

2 Important Concepts and Research Methods

This chapter first defines the two key concepts of "second language textbooks" and "culture", and clarifies the scope of research. Second language textbooks generally include textbooks, lecture notes, audio and video materials, while culture is defined as a complex whole that includes knowledge, beliefs, art, morality, customs, and so on. The PRISMA framework was used for literature retrieval, screening, and analysis. 528 relevant articles were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, and 121 empirical research articles were ultimately included after screening. Through the analysis of the trend chart of annual publication volume, it is found that the research on cultural content in second language textbooks has shown an upward trend in recent years and has development potential. The researchers conducted thematic refinement, coding analysis of research methods and research pathways for the included literature to reveal research hotspots and development trends.

Topic distribution of empirical research on cultural content in second language textbooks

This chapter reveals two main themes of empirical research on cultural content in second language textbooks through bibliometric analysis: the study of cultural content types and country distribution, and the study of textbook users' perception of cultural phenomena. In the study of cultural content types and country distribution, researchers explore from two perspectives: cultural content type analysis framework and pluralistic framework. The former focuses on the cultural content presented in textbooks used by specific cultural groups, such as social identity, social interaction, belief behavior, as well as social moral values and ideological issues, especially gender representation. The latter focuses on the balance of cultural content from different countries in textbooks, such as the impact of the development of World English on the cultural content of textbooks. The research also involves the dynamic development process of cultural content in textbooks, such as changes in cultural content between textbook versions. In the study of cultural phenomena perceived by textbook users, researchers focus on the understanding and attitudes of teachers and learners towards the cultural content of textbooks, as well as the impact of these contents on learners' cultural identity and cross-cultural communication skills. The way teachers handle cultural content in textbooks and the challenges they face are also part of the research. These studies provide important insights for the construction of cultural content in second language textbooks.

The methodological path of empirical research on cultural content in second language textbooks

This chapter reveals through literature statistical analysis that empirical research on cultural content in second language textbooks mainly adopts a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Researchers mainly explore the cultural content in textbooks through three paths: content analysis, critical discourse analysis, and multimodal discourse analysis. Content analysis method has been widely used in humanities and social sciences, including foreign language education, since the 1950s. Researchers classify and evaluate textbook content through coding frameworks, or extract cultural content through careful reading. Critical discourse analysis focuses on the power relations and ideologies in textbook discourse, using Fairclough and van Leeuwen's analytical framework to explore implicit ideological and power inequality phenomena. Multimodal discourse analysis focuses on the construction of interactive meanings between image resources and different modalities in textbooks, and analyzes them from the perspectives of traditional linguistic semiotics and systemic functional linguistics. These research methods provide new perspectives and paths for the study of cultural content in second language textbooks.

5 Research Findings and Implications

The research on cultural content of second language textbooks in international journals is showing an upward trend, but the average annual publication volume is relatively low and requires more attention. The research content is diverse, but mostly static descriptions, lacking depth, and mostly synchronic analysis. The diachronic perspective has only emerged in recent years. Research focuses more on the understanding and processing of cultural content by textbook users, and less on exploring their attitudes, beliefs, and identification from a societal perspective. The research methods mainly focus on content analysis and critical discourse analysis, with the rise of multimodal discourse analysis. However, the sampling system and analysis process description are insufficient, and there is a lack of participation from multiple coders. Improving research reliability is a key issue. Domestic research needs to increase empirical research, enhance sensitivity to cultural content, focus on textbook users, explore diverse theoretical perspectives and research paths, construct a research framework with Chinese characteristics, and improve the scientificity and reliability of research conclusions.

6 Conclusion

This chapter emphasizes the importance of studying the cultural content of second language textbooks in international journals, aiming to provide inspiration for the research of cultural content in foreign language textbooks in China and promote the healthy development of foreign language textbook construction and research. In the context of the new era, foreign language education plays an important role in the international dissemination of Chinese culture. By exploring cultural content in second language textbooks, improving the cultural safety awareness of foreign language teachers and students can help cultivate learners' patriotism, cultural identity, and cultural confidence, and build a discourse system with Chinese characteristics.