International Reformation of Swedish History Education 1927–1961: The Complexity of Implementing International Understanding

• Published in: Journal of world history Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 329 - 354
• Main Author: NYGREN, THOMAS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Honolulu University of Hawaii Press 01.06.2011; University of Hawai'i Press
• Subjects: Archives; Company service development; Core curriculum; Council of Europe; Councils; Cultural history; Cultural Identity; Cultural instruction; Curricula; Curriculum; didactics of history; Education; Educational reform; Elementary education; Essays; Europe; European Council; European history; Foreign Students; France; French language; historia med didaktisk inriktning; historiedidaktik; Historieämnen; Historisk-filosofiska ämnen; History; history and history teaching; History and philosophy subjects; History education; History instruction; History subjects; history teaching; HUMANIORA och RELIGIONSVETENSKAP; HUMANITIES and RELIGION; Ideology; implementation; international guidelines; International Organizations; International Relations; Language history; Learning; Military history; Nationalism; Peace; Pedagogik; Recommendations; SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP; SOCIAL SCIENCES; Social studies education; Socialvetenskap; Students; Study and teaching; Subject didactics; Sweden; Swedish; Teacher organizations; Teachers; Teaching; Textbooks; UNESCO; United Nations; United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Org; World history; Ämnesdidaktik; Sweden; Japan; Europe
• ISSN: 1045-6007; 1527-8050; 1527-8050
• DOI: 10.1353/jwh.2011.0041

This study shows how the international efforts for reforming history teaching, by the League of Nations, UNESCO, and the Council of Europe, were both neglected and implemented before and after World War II. International interest in the promotion of international understanding and discouragement of nationalism was interpreted and influenced by teachers' and students' views of history. International understanding and non-European history—but not intercultural history—became a dominant theme in the Swedish curriculum in a complex top-down and bottom-up process.