Project: Democracy in the past, the present, and looking to the future
The objective of the network is to create a long-term, robust and innovative platform for in-depth dialogue, comparison, and research collaboration on how to understand an education that will intersect historical, moral, and democratic consciousness. Monitored by an international steering group, the network invites members in countries around the globe to join through digital and IRL network meetings and conferences to discuss, compare and plan research collaboration across borders.
Project information
Project name
Democracy in the past, the present, and looking to the future: An international network focusing on historical, moral, and democratic consciousness in history education, research and policy
Project manager
Niklas Ammert
Steering group
Fredrik Alvén, Malmö University, and Silvia Edling, University of Gävle, Sweden; Jan Löfström, University of Turku, Finland; Heather Sharp, University of Newcastle, Australia
Network members
Sebastian Barsch, Universität zu Köln, Germany; Gideon Boadu, RMIT University, Australia; Heidi Eskelund Knudsen, Syddansk Universitet, Denmark; Lindsay Gibson, University of British Columbia, Canada; Brit Marie Hovland, VID Specialized University, Norway; David Nally, Brigidine Catholic College Randwick, Australia; Carla Peck, University of Alberta, Canada; Juan Ramon Moreno Vera, Universidad de Murcia, Spain; Nimrod Tal, Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts, Israel; Helen Ting Mu Hung, Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia; Carmen Gloria Zúñiga, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile; Filiz Öztürk, Ordu Universitesi, Turkiey; Talip Öztürk, Ordu Universitesi, Turkiey
Participating organizations (steering group)
Linnaeus University, Malmö University and University of Gävle, Sweden; University of Turku, Finland; University of Newcastle, Australia
Financier
The Swedish Research Council
Timetable
1 Jan 2023–31 Dec 2025
Subject
History didactics, didactics, history (Department of Cultural Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Humanity)
More about the project
In 2022, a European country has attacked and invaded another European country, in ways that bear strong resemblance to past events. At the same time, there are tendencies in many countries today nurturing a desire for simple answers, a return to perceived past glories, and a fear and hatred against foreigners and minorities.
The social processes taking place today are intimately interwoven with past experiences and come with moral significance. Modern history teaching is expected to develop pupils’ critical and multilayered thinking and commitment to democratic values and human rights. Yet, history teaching has also often served as an instrument for undemocratic and nationalist ideas. There is also a public interest in how to deal with historical injustices and reparations.
The current context motivates a closer collaboration with countries around the globe regarding issues about the content and role of history education in relation to issues of historical, moral, and democratic consciousness.
The objective of this network is to create a long-term, robust and innovative platform for in-depth dialogue, comparison, and research collaboration on how to understand an education that will intersect historical, moral, and democratic consciousness. Monitored by an international steering group, the network invites members in countries around the globe to join through digital and IRL network meetings and conferences to discuss, compare and plan research collaboration across borders.
The network has developed the plans for the comparative study of whether and how Historical Consciousness and Democracy is present and presented in History curricula (syllabi) in a number of countries. In May 2023 the first drafts were discussed at online seminars with the network members. The study was presented at the HEIRNET 2023 conference in Stockholm.
During 2024 nine national studies were conducted and preliminary results were discussed at the HEIRNET 2024 conference in Stirling, Scotland.
The steering group meets regularly in online meetings and when we gather at conferences. In 2024 a planning meeting was held in Spain and the steering group visited University of Murcia. A Special Issue in History Education Research Journal was planned. Click here to read it.
The network published a Special Issue of the Journal of Citizenship, Social and Economic Education with articles discussing history and democracy in curricula in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Ghana, Israel, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Turkiey. Click here for more information.
In 2025 the INoHiDe network will present results and plans for future collaboration at the NOFA X conference in Odense, Denmark, and at the HEIRNET conference in Cologne, Germany.
The project has contacts with the research group Centrum för ämnesdidaktisk forskning inom konst och humaniora (CÄHL) and connects to the Linnaeus Knowledge Environments Education in change and A Questioned Democracy.