Att låta det oväntade ge rum åt det oförväntade

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Abstract

The aim of the article is to illuminate the opportunities for students in social studies to develop dispositions towards taking an active and responsible role in society when teachers are able to support the content of the subject to continuously come forward in an interactive, communicative and evolving process. Based on theoretical informed arguments the author claims that that the question of how the teaching process is carried out is deeply connected with these opportunities for creating meaningful pedagogical situations. Here, unforeseen events are discussed as desirable circumstances for engaging students in social issues. However, this also brings risk into the process since the content discussed and how it is discussed opens up for unexpected answers. These answers which become part of the course content, put the teacher in a position in which he or she needs to respond in one way or another. In such pedagogical situations, the moral dimension of teachers’ work becomes visible and obvious. The position is taken that risk is a crucial part of a teaching process in which one of the aims is for students to be and become active, responsible and engaged in social issues.