Ozean Journal of Applied Sciences 5(1), 2012 1 PERCEPTIONS OF SECONDARY LEVEL STUDENTS ABOUT THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) AND THE UN PERMANENT MEMBER STATES Ali BALCI University of Marmara, Istanbul-Turkey E-mail address for correspondence: alibalci3@gmail.com ______________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine perceptions of secondary level students concerning the United Nations (UN) and the UN permanent member states (the US, Russia, China, England and France). The semi-structured interview form that is prepared for this purpose is conducted with 204 12th grade students in 10 secondary schools fit for purpose. Qualitative method is adopted in order to realize the aims. Application results are evaluated in computer environment and a descriptive analysis is made. As to the analysis results, 22,2% of the students that expressed an opinion on the UN perceive the UN as an institution operating in line with its primary objectives and 31,3% define it as an unnecessary, quasi-institution. It is observed that the sample has put emphasis on the US‟s power, Russia‟s natural riches, China‟s population, England‟s imperialism and France‟s cities. After being interpreted, the determined findings are brought to a conclusion and suggestions are made. Key words: United Nations (UN), The UN permanent members, Instruction of countries‟ geography. __________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION The United Nations and the UN permanent member countries (the US, Russia, China, England, France) are among the references that secondary level students often come across in geography textbooks. As a matter of fact, they study the following conceptions in their textbooks: the UN in Geography 12 textbook (Gultepe etc, 2008: 178); the US in Geography 9, 11, 12 textbooks (Oruc etc, 2009: 184) (Gultepe etc, 2009: 41, 51, 59, 149, 158, 162, 197, 219, 235) (Gultepe etc, 2008: 5, 11, 94, 149, 178, 179, 205); Russia in Geography 11, 12 textbooks (Gultepe etc, 2009: 64, 149, 219, 228) (Gultepe etc, 2008: 94, 163, 165, 178, 183); China in Geography 11, 12 textbooks (Gultepe etc, 2009: 34, 59, 70, 140, 149, 199, 204, 210) (Gultepe etc, 2008: 6-8, 27, 41, 49, 50, 94, 149, 170-174, 178, 195); England in Geography 11 textbook (Gultepe etc, 2009: 45, 59, 175-178, 235); and France in Geography 11, 12 textbooks (Gultepe etc, 2009: 35, 45, 59, 219, 227) (Gultepe etc, 2008: 10, 94, 182, 198-199). The United Nations was founded on 24 October 1945. The US president Roosevelt, England’s prime minister Churchill and Soviet Russia’s prime minister Stalin laid the foundations (Ozey, 2010:372), (Akengin, 2010:169). Its purpose is to maintain international peace and security (Article 1/1), to develop friendly relations among nations based on peoples’ equality (Article 1/2), to help nations work together to solve international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems (Article 1/3), to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to Ozean Journal of Applied Sciences 5(1), 2012 ISSN 1943-2429 © 2012 Ozean Publication