Paper Title
Cultural Representation of Indonesian ELT Textbook in New Curriculum (Kurikulum Merdeka)

Abstract
Efficient communication relies on a thorough understanding of how language and culture connect and influence each other. Consequently, it becomes imperative to think and act appropriately within specific cultural and linguistic contexts. This research focuses on analyzing the cultural representation in an Indonesian English language teaching (ELT) textbook designed for the new curriculum known as Kurikulum Merdeka. The study employed descriptive qualitative design which applying content analysis using Byram's checklist (1994) to identify cultural content followed by Cortazzi and Jin’s culture. The subject of the study was the ELT textbook "English for Nusantara" for 7th-grade students. The findings revealed the presence of nine distinct cultural categories within the textbook, including social groups and social identity, social interaction, belief and behavior, socio-political institutions, the life-cycle and socialization, national history, national geography, national cultural heritage, and stereotypes and national identity. However, it is worth noting that this ELT textbook predominantly focuses on local culture, with limited emphasis on target culture or international culture. The researcher suggests that the textbook should incorporate a broader range of cultural content, encompassing both the target culture and international perspectives. Therefore, students can develop a more comprehensive understanding of different cultures and expand their intercultural competence. Keywords - ELT textbook, cultural content, local culture, target culture, international culture