Antiken i praktiken – lärares röster om vad högstadieundervisning om antiken består av och syftar till

Abstract

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.