Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
type: channel
description: Nordidactica - Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education is a Nordic subject didactic journal with the aim to be a venue for research relevant to school, teacher education and to academy. Studies of teaching and learning in Geography, History, Civics, Religion and Political Science are the main focus but the journal also welcomes articles in which these questions are dealt with in a broader thematic context. Nordidactica wants to combine a high scientific level with an up-to-date relevance for teachers and researchers in Humanities and Social Science Education. The articles will primarily be in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish. But we also welcome articles in English and there will be special issues with all articles in English. All articles have a short english abstract.
publisher: CSD (Centrum för de Samhällsvetenskapliga ämnenas Didaktik) vid Karlstads universitet
language: en
publication name: Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
issn: 2000-9879
items: Nordidactica 2026:2 Editorial
items: Editorial Nordidactica 2026:1
items: Editorial Nordidactica 2025:3
items: Editorial Nordidactica 2025:2
items: Åpent klasseromsklima og klasseromsdiskusjoner i norsk ungdomsskole
items: Didaktiske refleksjoner fra møter med bærekraftig utviklings økonomiske dimensjon
items: Grading in upper secondary civics in Sweden
items: Privat, betent og uoverkommelig? om arbeid med religion i to norske barnehager
items: Antiken i praktiken – lärares röster om vad högstadieundervisning om antiken består av och syftar till
items: Den brede fritaksretten i skolen. En kvantitativ studie av læreres erfaring med og kunnskap om fritak på livssynsmessige grunnlag i grunnskolen
items: Från kristen fostran till belonging without believing: religionsläroböckers framställning av kristendomen under hundra år
items: Blir det Kahoot? Svenska historielärares arbete med digital teknik
items: Designing assessment criteria for document-based history essays
items: 'Asphalt Islam' A Multimodal Comparative Analysis of Islam in Contrast to Christianity and Buddhism in Educational Films
items: Fritaksretten, en systematisk kunnskapsoversikt. En undersøkelse av forskning på religiøse og livssynsbaserte fritak i norsk skole
items: Religious Education in Transit - Teachers’ Experience of Digital Transition in Teaching Religion and Worldviews: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach
items: Teaching critical thinking in psychology—focusing on evaluating different psychological perspectives
items: Editorial Nordidactica 2025:1
items: “A Sense of the Moral Weight of the Past”: Framing Ethical and Affective Significance in Relation to Swedish Middle-School Students and Historical Empathy
items: "Den andre" och populärkultur i religionsundervisning: utmaningar och möjligheter
items: Religious Education in Transition, 1994 to 2024: A Comparative Overview of Research of Religious Education in Schools in South Africa and Sweden
items: Förslag till vidgad förståelse av ett ämnesspråk: So-didaktiska överföringsbegrepp
items: Why differences in national test results are critical beyond the grades: Historical knowledge as (un)equally distributed prerequisites for societal participation
items: Enhancing Student Teachers’ Ability to teach Controversial Issues through Simulation Training
items: Navigating the methodological risks of ‘othering’ in research on inclusion and exclusion of religion and worldviews in teacher education
items: Religion som tro og som identitet. Snakker elever om det samme når de snakker om religion?
items: Mellom empati og eksotisme: Hinduisme som «den andre» i KRLE på 6. trinn
items: Editorial Nordidactica 2024:3
items: Assessing Intercultural Competence through Swedish National Tests of Social Science: A Validation Study
items: Investigating DIF: The role of response format for students following the syllabus for Swedish as a second language

Nordidactica 2026:2 Editorial
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description: Editorial. Information om artiklarna i 2026:2
subject: Articles
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creator: Kristian Niemi
creator: Niclas Modig
rights: Copyright (c) 2026
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: i
ending page: iii
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.29397

Editorial Nordidactica 2026:1
type: item
description: Introduction and description of the articles in 2026:1
subject: Articles
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creator: Kristian Niemi
creator: Fredrik Jahnke
rights: Copyright (c) 2026
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: i
ending page: iii
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.29020

Editorial Nordidactica 2025:3
type: item
description: Editorial Presentation of the five articles in Nordidactica 2025:3
subject: Articles
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creator: Kristian Niemi
creator: Niclas Modig
rights: Copyright (c) 2025
date: 2026-02-06
publication date: 2026-02-06
starting page: i
ending page: iii
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:3.28768

Editorial Nordidactica 2025:2
type: item
description: Editorial 2025:2
subject: Articles
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creator: Olof Franck
creator: Kristoffer Larsson
creator: Annika Lilja
creator: Christina Osbeck
rights: Copyright (c) 2026
date: 2026-01-21
publication date: 2026-01-21
starting page: i
ending page: iii
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:2.28731

Åpent klasseromsklima og klasseromsdiskusjoner i norsk ungdomsskole
type: item
description: Et åpent klasseromsklima, hvor elever erfarer at de kan stille kritiske spørsmål og ytre seg uten å frykte konsekvenser fra verken medelever eller lærere, har positiv effekt ikke bare på elevens demokratikompetanse, men også deres framtidige demokratiske deltakelse. Blant elever i den norske ungdomsskolen viser flere ICCS-undersøkelser at opplevelsen av åpent klasseromsklima er høy. Men hvordan ser dette åpne klasseromsklimaet ut – og hva brukes det til? Basert på klasseromsobservasjoner og intervjuer med 31 elever på 9. trinn diskuterer vi i denne artikkelen hvordan samfunnsfagslærere legger til rette for et åpent klasseromsklima, og hva som er elevenes opplevelse av og erfaringer med åpent klasseromsklima og klasseromsdiskusjoner i samfunnsfag. Vårt bidrag er å peke på flere begrensninger av elevenes åpne klasseromsklima.
subject: Articles
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creator: Anders Granås Kjøstvedt
creator: Evy Jøsok
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 48
ending page: 70
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.26925

Didaktiske refleksjoner fra møter med bærekraftig utviklings økonomiske dimensjon
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description: The economic dimension of sustainable development is underrepresented in education. This article explores possible content and didactical approaches in social studies teaching. Inspired by Paulo Freire’s thematic investigation, student teachers and I explored socioeconomic issues such as poverty and inequality through structure-oriented perspectives, including neoliberalism, Doughnut Economics, and degrowth. Using multiple methods of data collection, an ongoing dialogue emerged between myself as a teacher educator and the student teachers. In this dialogue, we shared experiences from our encounters with socioeconomic themes. Through these reflections, several issues emerged that Freire refers to as “generative themes.” Examples include challenges related to the language often used to frame economic issues, how to navigate the sensitivity embedded in many socioeconomic topics, how to address responsibility without putting all of it on the individual, and the considerations teachers must balance. The discussion considers what questions and challenges these generative themes engender and how they can encourage further transformative didactic work in social studies.
subject: Articles
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creator: Irene Tollefsen
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 23
ending page: 47
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.28229

Grading in upper secondary civics in Sweden
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description: This study explores grading practices among Swedish upper secondary civics teachers through interviews with thirteen educators. It examines how teachers document student performance, determine grades, and weight different types of assignments. The findings show that teachers primarily use a continuous grading model based on secondary documentation such as digital grade rubrics, occasionally complemented by holistic and intuitive approaches. In grading, time, content, criteria, and size are considered when weighting different assignments. While written assignments dominate, oral performance is under­represented, raising concerns about validity and fairness. Despite civics being an open subject, a shared canon, especially in politics and economics, shapes assessment. The study highlights the need for transparency and consistency in grading to support equitable educational outcomes.
subject: Articles
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creator: Tobias Jansson
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 71
ending page: 94
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.28440

Privat, betent og uoverkommelig? om arbeid med religion i to norske barnehager
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description: Despite religion having a clear place in the Norwegian Framework Plan for Kindergartens, addressing religion in practice often appears to be challenging. This article examines how kindergarten staff understand and approach religion, and which discourses contribute to shaping this practice. The study is based on conversations conducted at the outset of an action research project in two kindergartens. The analysis identifies three categories: religion as private, religion as a sensitive topic, and limited self-efficacy when working with religion. These categories are used to discuss staff approaches to religion. The study is theoretically grounded in Foucault’s concepts of power and discourse and, through an abductive approach, develops the privatization of religion and religion as a challenge as analytical perspectives, understood as discourses in a Foucauldian sense.
subject: Articles
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creator: Ine Bratsvedal
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: 117
ending page: 140
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.27440

Antiken i praktiken – lärares röster om vad högstadieundervisning om antiken består av och syftar till
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description: This study examines how teachers reason about teaching antiquity in grades 7–9 in Swedish lower secondary schools. Prior research has highlighted that history education is often Eurocentric, shaped by present perspectives and focused on elite men. The study confirms these tendencies but also notes that the curriculum itself emphasizes non-European influences on Europe and traces of antiquity that persist today. Results indicate both shared patterns and substantial variation in content and emphasis. The teachers address a common core, including Greek democracy, a golden age, and the fall of the Roman Empire. Beyond this, however, content varies widely; some leave out topics such as Persians, Spartans, or the rise of Rome, while others include broader perspectives or thematic approaches. This variation relates to how teachers understand the basis of history education: some prioritize factual knowledge, while others emphasize historical thinking concepts, making factual selection less central and shifting focus to skills and interpretation. All teachers include source criticism, though mainly in limited, isolated tasks rather than integrated practice. Despite its importance in the curriculum, the use of history receives little attention in teachers’ reasoning. All teachers make connections between antiquity and the present, either broadly or linked to pupils’ lifeworlds. Interviews with eleven teachers (six men, five women) indicates that gender and age do not explain variation. Limited teaching time requires difficult choices, yet antiquity is often perceived as less demanding than other areas. Overall, teaching appears shaped more by individual choices than formal requirements, resulting in considerable variation within a shared curricular framework and challenging assumptions in public debate that teaching in antiquity provides a mutual and deep foundation of knowledge for the future citizens.
subject: Articles
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creator: Carl-Johan Svensson
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 119
ending page: 144
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.27986

Den brede fritaksretten i skolen. En kvantitativ studie av læreres erfaring med og kunnskap om fritak på livssynsmessige grunnlag i grunnskolen
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description: Religious and lifestance-based exemption requests in Norwegian primary schools challenge the school’s societal mandate and ideals of inclusion. Parents and students seek exemption from instruction they perceive as contradicting their convictions, and these requests appear more salient in teachers’ reported practice experiences than much of the earlier Norwegian empirical literature has been able to capture. Consequently, balancing religious freedom with curricular mandates becomes complex, and understanding practice is vital for safeguarding students’ rights and the school’s formative mission. This study, based on a 2023 teacher survey, explores experiences with, and distribution, and handling of such requests. Findings reveal exemptions sought in Physical Education and Food and Health, in addition to Religion and Ethics. Teachers’ limited awareness of legal frameworks may result in inconsistent practice. Given the low response rate, findings should be read as indicative, yet the share of respondents reporting exemption requests and the breadth of contexts point to a need for competence development and clearer routines
subject: Articles
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creator: Christian Lomsdalen
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 208
ending page: 236
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.27667

Från kristen fostran till belonging without believing: religionsläroböckers framställning av kristendomen under hundra år
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description: This article seeks to expand and deepen our understanding of the development of Christian and religious education in Swedish primary schools from the 1920s to the 2000s. Drawing on textbook analysis, it offers a historical explanation for the prevailing view that contemporary religious education operates within a secular framework. By integrating perspectives from both the history of education and church history, I argue that religious education continues to be shaped by an (often implicit) Christian heritage. Previous research has emphasized that this heritage is deeply rooted in Lutheran Protestantism and influenced by strands of liberal theology. While acknowledging these interpretations, I aim to refine them by arguing that religious education in Sweden has not been shaped solely by Lutheran or liberal theological traditions. From the 1960s onward, national curricula have contained no explicit references to Lutheranism. Rather than viewing contemporary religious education as a form of secularized Lutheranism, I suggest its lingering Christian influence should be understood as a legacy of a broader, culturally embedded form of Protestantism – what might be termed as a national Christianity of the people’s home (folkhemskristendom) Moreover, I contend that textbooks from the 1970s onward reveal a distinct ambiguity: while they promote critical engagement with Christianity’s truth claims, they simultaneously present Christian ethics as the foundation for pupils’ ethical and moral development.
subject: Articles
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creator: Emma Hellström
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 145
ending page: 177
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.28305

Blir det Kahoot? Svenska historielärares arbete med digital teknik
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description: This study examines how Swedish history teachers integrate digital technology in their teaching. The study answers questions about which historical competencies are made visible, what digital technologies are used, and whether digital technology interacts with instructional methods. The study builds on classroom observations of six history teachers selected for their reported extensive use of digital technology. The empirical material has been analysed using the TPACK framework and history didactic theory, where historical thinking and narrative competence are central concepts. Based on classroom observations, findings show that teaching is dominated by traditional methods, such as lectures, which primarily emphasise the transmission of historical facts while giving limited attention to analytical and reflective skills. Digital technology is largely used to reinforce existing teaching practices rather than to transform history teaching. It does not appear to support the development of historical thinking competencies or narrative competence. Results suggest that digitalisation has not led to significant methodological or theoretical innovation in history teaching.
subject: Articles
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creator: Mikael Bruér
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-02-06
publication date: 2026-02-06
starting page: 87
ending page: 118
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:3.27665

Designing assessment criteria for document-based history essays
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description: In Finnish history curricula, the paradigm shift from traditional teaching to teaching historical thinking and skills has been recently strengthened by the cross-curricular competence of multiliteracies which translates into teaching disciplinary literacies in all school subjects. Still, research shows that history teaching in Finnish schools is fairly content-oriented, and there is need to develop pedagogical approaches and tools for teaching historical literacy practices. In this study, we examine the process and product of design-based development of criteria for evaluating source-based history essays. The development process was realized as co-design with a group of history teachers in a mid-sized Finnish upper secondary school. First, we introduce the design procedure and compare different versions of the criteria to provide insight into the process. Second, using content analysis of teachers’ interview data we examine how the collaborative effort worked for the teachers. Third, based on student questionnaire data (n=32), we study how accessible the criteria were to students. Findings show that the co-design process offered a valuable opportunity for the teachers to reflect on their assessment practices and the criteria were quite accessible for students. The value and limitations of the findings are discussed.
subject: Articles
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creator: Sari Sulkunen
creator: Minna-Riitta Luukka
creator: Anna Veijola
creator: Johanna Saario
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 95
ending page: 118
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.27702

'Asphalt Islam' A Multimodal Comparative Analysis of Islam in Contrast to Christianity and Buddhism in Educational Films
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description: This study employs a comparative and multimodal analysis to examine Islam’s portrayal in Swedish educational films, contrasting it with Christianity and Buddhism. Comparison is essential for understanding each religion’s representation within the same material, while the multimodal approach, focusing on visual, auditory, and textual elements, captures the nuanced portrayals of 'rough' versus 'soft' religions. Islam is depicted as 'rough,' characterised by minimal soundscapes, suburban visuals, and framed within a Sunni normative perspective. Such a comparative lens reveals discursive values and biases, encouraging self–reflection and awareness. Teachers must be mindful in selecting educational films and understand how they can be used to foster a more balanced perspective. This portrayal depicts Islam as 'asphalt Islam', emphasising its association with urban, marginalised settings and highlighting the importance of critical engagement with these educational materials.
subject: Articles
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creator: Danial Ghasempour
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: 29
ending page: 56
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.27395

Fritaksretten, en systematisk kunnskapsoversikt. En undersøkelse av forskning på religiøse og livssynsbaserte fritak i norsk skole
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description: The right of exemption in Norwegian schools is a tool to ensure pupils’ and parents' religious and ideological freedom. In recent decades, the topic has received increased attention. Despite the right of exemption's human rights and educational relevance, research is still limited and often a sub-theme in studies with broader issues. Through a systematic review of 45 relevant publications, this article shows a breadth of academic work on the right of exemption and how the topic is subject to ongoing discussion. Only a few works systematically focus on the scheme's scope and practical implications. This knowledge gap makes it difficult to assess how the current legislation plays out in practice. The review maps the knowledge already on the topic. The findings imply that schools should strengthen routines for clear communication and predictability for the educational system. The article also points out that teachers should discuss the right of exemption in interdisciplinary settings to promote a more comprehensive and inclusive practice.
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creator: Christian Lomsdalen
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 178
ending page: 207
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.27534

Religious Education in Transit - Teachers’ Experience of Digital Transition in Teaching Religion and Worldviews: An Interpretative Phenomenological Approach
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description: This article investigates RE teachers’ experiences using digital educational resources, focusing on how this use influences their didactical discernment and understanding of their roles. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, the study uncovers the complexities of integrating digital resources into educational practice, particularly in the context of RE. It reveals varying adaptive mindsets regarding the utilisation of these resources. The TPACK framework is employed to illustrate the complex interplay between technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge, underscoring the importance of ongoing professional development. Additionally, the Norwegian research-based knowledge summary led by Elaine Munthe and Ola Erstad highlights the challenges of conceptualising digitalisation. The findings indicate that while digital resources provide new opportunities, they also introduce challenges teachers must navigate carefully as they transform their didactical approaches and discernments.
subject: Articles
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creator: Dag Østereng
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-02-06
publication date: 2026-02-06
starting page: 119
ending page: 148
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:3.26765

Teaching critical thinking in psychology—focusing on evaluating different psychological perspectives
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description: Critical thinking is a key ability in the humanities yet a contested issue regarding how it should be taught. In the subject of psychology, critical thinking is essential to psychological literacy i.e. the ability to evaluate empirically based psychological perspectives in explaining human phenomena, which is the focus in this study. The study was a Learning Study conducted at upper secondary school level in Sweden with 53 students at three different schools. Variation theory was used as a theoretical framework to design lessons where students processed contrasts of what critical thinking is and is not in psychology, focusing on evaluating different psychological perspectives. In the analysis of student assignments, four critical aspects were identified as essential for developing critical thinking in psychology. The results show that students improved in their ability to think critically about psychology while processing contrasts.
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creator: Anja Thorsten
creator: Alexander Wensby
creator: Rebecca Holmberg
creator: Karin Malmquist
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-02-06
publication date: 2026-02-06
starting page: 1
ending page: 27
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:3.27389

Editorial Nordidactica 2025:1
type: item
description: Editorial Nordidactica 2025:1
subject: Articles
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creator: Kristian Niemi
creator: Niclas Modig
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2025-05-23
publication date: 2025-05-23
starting page: i
ending page: iii
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:1.28000

“A Sense of the Moral Weight of the Past”: Framing Ethical and Affective Significance in Relation to Swedish Middle-School Students and Historical Empathy
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description: Building on a previous study of Swedish middle-school students’ perspectives on historical significance (Sjölund Åhsberg, 2024b), where students expressed a strong moral engagement with the past, this article further explores and defines two tentative criteria: ethical and affective significance. Using thematic analysis of focus-group interviews and relating the findings to historical empathy (Karn, 2023), the study shows that ethical significance involves making moral judgments about history that students care about and wish to change, while affective significance reflects more intuitive emotional responses. The results indicate that students are highly interested in ethically significant history and its implications for the present and future, yet experience the history classroom as largely silent on these issues. Students also express feelings of guilt and responsibility in relation to ethically challenging histories and a desire to engage with these topics in greater depth. The findings point to didactical opportunities for a more inclusive and engaging history education and highlight guilt as an underexplored dimension of historical significance.
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creator: Cathrine Sjölund Åhsberg
creator: Olof Franck
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-02-06
publication date: 2026-02-06
starting page: 62
ending page: 86
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:3.26589

"Den andre" och populärkultur i religionsundervisning: utmaningar och möjligheter
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description: This article explores the role of popular culture in shaping representations of "the Other" within religious education, focusing on its potential to both enrich and challenge pedagogical practices. Based on interviews with sixteen upper secondary school teachers and classroom observations, the study highlights how popular culture can connect students' everyday experiences with complex theoretical concepts while addressing challenges such as reinforcing stereotypes and perpetuating Eurocentric perspectives. The findings demonstrate strategies teachers use to navigate these challenges, including contextualizing content and fostering critical media analysis. These approaches encourage students to critically engage with representations of "the Other" and promote cultural awareness. The article argues that diversifying educational materials to include non-Western perspectives fosters a more inclusive learning environment and strengthens students' critical thinking skills.
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creator: Nicole von Rost Biedron
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: 57
ending page: 74
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.27449

Religious Education in Transition, 1994 to 2024: A Comparative Overview of Research of Religious Education in Schools in South Africa and Sweden
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description: This article presents a systematic comparative review of research on Religious Education (RE) in South Africa and Sweden from 1994 to 2024. Through analysis of 77 peer-reviewed studies, it examines how historical trajectories, curricular frameworks and societal conditions shape the purposes, practices and conceptualisations of RE in each context. The findings show that both countries address common themes: pluralism, religious literacy, ethics, and existential questions - yet these take on distinct meanings in the two different national contexts. In South Africa, RE is embedded within Life Skills and Life Orientation, reflecting post-apartheid aims of democratic transformation, social cohesion, dignity and relational ethics, including concepts such as Ubuntu. In Sweden, RE functions as a non-confessional, knowledge-based subject grounded in secular norms, analytical comparison and individual meaning-making. Using a comparative–interpretive approach, the study demonstrates how each context illuminates the other’s assumptions, highlighting the culturally situated nature of RE and the value of contrast for understanding educational responses to diversity.
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creator: Karin Flensner
creator: Kerstin von Brömssen
creator: Caroline Klintborg
creator: Maitumeleng A. Nthontho
creator: Lufuluvhi Mudimeli
creator: Mahlapahlapana Themane
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: 1
ending page: 28
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.27421

Förslag till vidgad förståelse av ett ämnesspråk: So-didaktiska överföringsbegrepp
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description: Within science education studies and research on subject language a key discussion is how to use metaphors in teaching to make the subject accessible and understandable for the students. Words and concepts used can be abstract and therefore in need of metaphors and analogies in order to be correctly conceptualized in a teaching context. Metaphors and analogies can however lead to incorrect conclusions because of their inherent ambiguity. In this article we argue that the social science subjects need a corresponding discussion regarding the metaphors and analogies that describe the social sciences subjects complex and abstract subject content. We state, based on Bernstein (1974/2003; 1990; 1999), that – what we call – didactic transfer concepts have a vital role in forming a subject matter language för the social sciences. Didactic transfer concepts are widely used in teaching. By illuminating these didactic transfer concepts, the prerequisites for a common subject matter language can be conceptualized.
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creator: Jonas Nordmark
creator: Karin Bergman Rimbe
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2025-05-23
publication date: 2025-05-23
starting page: 55
ending page: 70
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:1.26293

Why differences in national test results are critical beyond the grades: Historical knowledge as (un)equally distributed prerequisites for societal participation
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description: Historical knowledge, along with knowledge acquired in other subjects, is crucial for individuals to make sense of and engage with the world around them. Evidence suggests that educational systems fail to adequately support disadvantaged groups in accessing the knowledge conveyed through education. This article presents a study comparing the historical knowledge of students attending lower-secondary schools in varying socio-economic environments. Using regression analysis and concept analysis, we examine responses (n=100) to both selected- and constructed-response items from the Swedish national test in history. The sampled items address factual, conceptual, and procedural knowledge types, and the results indicate consistent differences between students from low SES and high SES schools across all types of knowledge. Findings also show that socio-economic status has a larger explanatory value than gender or mother tongue. The differences regarding historical knowledge are discussed in relation to Biesta’s three dimensions of education, providing a philosophical perspective on the broader implications of these disparities in educational success.
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creator: David Rosenlund
creator: Johan Deltner
creator: Mikael Bruér
creator: Magnus Persson
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-01-21
publication date: 2026-01-21
starting page: 50
ending page: 72
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:2.26750

Enhancing Student Teachers’ Ability to teach Controversial Issues through Simulation Training
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description: This study examines the reflections of 31 pairs of student teachers on their experiences with simulation training for teaching controversial issues. It explores how they perceived this training to enhance their professional learning beyond conventional teacher education methods. By participating in simulated role-play and observing five avatar pupils, the student teachers recognized the need to employ strategies for managing comments, questions, and responses effectively. They also emphasized the importance of thorough planning, particularly when adapting to diverse learner needs. Teaching controversial issues further underscored the significance of both subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in facilitating meaningful classroom discussions. Alternating between acting and observing enabled the student teachers to gain insight into multiple instructional approaches to the same content. This dual perspective also helped them develop skills for handling unexpected situations in the classroom. According to the student teachers, simulation training provided a controlled yet realistic environment in which they could practice teaching complex and sensitive controversial topics, experiment with different strategies, and learn from mistakes without the immediate pressures of a real classroom. Moreover, the training offered a rare opportunity for practice-based learning within a university setting, addressing a gap in their teacher education.
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creator: Marcus Samuelsson
creator: Per-Olof Hansson
creator: Marie-Louise Höög
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-06-26
publication date: 2026-06-26
starting page: 1
ending page: 22
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:2.27681

Navigating the methodological risks of ‘othering’ in research on inclusion and exclusion of religion and worldviews in teacher education
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description: This methodological article explores how the risks of othering can be addressed in educational research on religion and worldviews. Informed by feminist, decolonial, and Indigenous research traditions, the article expands an existing care ethics framework by integrating the principles of reflexivity and respect. A Swedish preschool teacher education project is used as an illustrative example to examine how six dimensions—international, societal, community, situational, event, and act—can guide socially sustainable research design. Rather than offering a fixed model, the framework is presented as a generative tool for reflection and adaptation. The article aims to contribute to ongoing methodological discussions by offering a possible approach to ethically grounded and inclusive research in superdiverse educational contexts.
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creator: Magdalena Raivio
creator: Ellinor Skaremyr
creator: Arniika Kuusisto
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: 141
ending page: 162
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.27579

Religion som tro og som identitet. Snakker elever om det samme når de snakker om religion?
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description: A core element in the curriculum for Norwegian Religious education (RE) is to take the perspective of others. Yet, perspective taking can seem a difficult task for students. This article draws on ethnographic material from a study of three Religion and Ethics classes in Norwegian upper secondary schools to explore how different concepts of religion in play in the classroom can explain misinterpretations and frustration when students discuss issues related to religion. The findings indicate that one of these concepts of religion was met with more understanding and accept than the other, and that it was easier for students who understood religion primarily as belief to make their voices heard than for students who understood religion more as identity. I discuss the findings in light of Linda Woodhead’s (2011) outline of different concepts of religion and Sara Ahmed’s (2007) concept of a normative white space, and suggest that an awareness of the different concepts of religion in play in the classroom could make it easier for students to take the perspective of others.
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creator: Lina Snoek Hauan
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: 75
ending page: 93
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.27454

Mellom empati og eksotisme: Hinduisme som «den andre» i KRLE på 6. trinn
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description: This article presents a qualitative classroom study on how sixth-grade students in two religiously diverse Norwegian classrooms engage with Hinduism in the subject KRLE (Christianity, religion, worldviews and ethics) Neither the students nor the teacher had a Hindu background. Through classroom observations, interviews and observing a joint excursion to a Hindu temple, the study explores Hinduism's position as "the other" in religious education. Drawing on theories of religion, empathy, exoticism and othering, the article analyzes how students respond to unfamiliar and unexpected religious practices and ideas. The study contributes to the broader discourse on religious education by providing insights into how students engage with and understand religious diversity.
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creator: Ina Marie Ilkama
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-03-20
publication date: 2026-03-20
starting page: 94
ending page: 116
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v16i2026:1.27434

Editorial Nordidactica 2024:3
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description: Editorial Nordidactica 2024:3
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creator: Anuleena Kimanen
creator: Martin Ubani
rights: Copyright (c) 2024
date: 2024-12-30
publication date: 2024-12-30
starting page: i
ending page: ii
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v14i2024:3.27387

Assessing Intercultural Competence through Swedish National Tests of Social Science: A Validation Study
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description: Despite concerted efforts of international organisations to advocate for the integration of intercultural competence (IC) into all facets of education, IC remains under-theorised in large-scale and social science assessments. By utilising the Swedish National Tests of Social Science (NTSS) as a resource for evaluating students’ IC, this study examines all available NTSS test items to provide an exhaustive review of the IC aspects addressed in NTSS content over its first decade of existence. In total, 210 NTSS test items were used from 2013 to 2022, of which 46 were deemed interculturally relevant. The results indicate that the NTSS capture several aspects of global knowledge, social knowledge, and perspective-taking. In contrast, there has been limited testing of cultural knowledge, reflexivity, and respect, suggesting variability in the NTSS’ coverage of the IC construct. The findings demonstrate NTSS’s utility beyond its primary functions as an external grading instrument of social science, offering insights into its assessment capacity, which transcends the assessment parameters drawn by the Swedish National Education Agency.
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creator: Markus Al-Afifi
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-01-21
publication date: 2026-01-21
starting page: 1
ending page: 28
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:2.26748

Investigating DIF: The role of response format for students following the syllabus for Swedish as a second language
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description: In developing the national tests in social studies, a critical issue is ensuring that the items work in the same way for subgroups of students, i.e., the test is fair and shows no signs of severe Differential Item Functioning (DIF). In Sweden, the national tests will be digitalized, but the proportion of items that can be assessed automatically, which requires a selected response format (SR), is also intended to increase. This study aims to analyze how different items (defined by varying formats and contents) function for students following the syllabus of Swedish as a second language (SvA) compared to the general student population. The study is based on data from four years of investigation from the Swedish national tests in social studies (2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023). Analyses based on Item Response Theory (IRT), focusing on DIF, are conducted. The results reveal that there are differences between the two syllabus groups: Students following the SvA syllabus have more difficulties with SR items, covering factual and conceptual knowledge aspects. However, SvA students perform better on constructed response items where they are asked to describe, analyze, and elaborate on a topic using their own language. The results are indeed important, not least in the context of the upcoming digitalization of the national tests. The SvA student group generally achieves lower results on the national tests in social studies, on average. As this study shows that the SvA group has significantly more difficulties compared to the general student group with the SR items that are intended to increase due to digitalization, there seems to be an obvious risk for this group to be disadvantaged. From a subject didactical perspective, this may provide opportunities to strengthen the factual and conceptual knowledge of SvA students. From a test constructor perspective, the results stress the importance of considering both content and format in DIF analyses.
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creator: Arne Löfstedt
creator: Daniel Bergh
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Nordidactica. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Education
date: 2026-01-21
publication date: 2026-01-21
starting page: 73
ending page: 98
doi: 10.62902/nordidactica.v15i2025:2.26762