Erratic Subject Didactics : a Study of Conditions Antecedent to Secondary Education Reform and Their Effects on Social Science Didactics

Abstract: This paper studies how changing political, economic, and social conditions in and related to Sweden affected its secondary education policy and the role that social science didactics plays. By analyzing Swedish secondary school curricula, the related social science syllabus, education act, and corresponding organizational documents, the causes for, and context of education reform become clear. The school’s purpose is to impart general abilities and knowledge that all persons will require to function in society and maintain democracy, equality, and international solidarity. Additionally, the school is found to conform to the same template, values, and norms as the economic and political aspects of globalization and modern democratic society. The school subject that wholely addresses general knowledge, civil abilities, and democratic values is found to be social science. Engaging social issues as a didactical tool, social science teaching imparts in students democratic values and the civil abilities to participate in society. Through the quality assurance of evaluations, knowledge requirements emerged as a policy for providing students with the opportunity to learn at one’s capacity. By meeting its knowledge requirements, social science produces students who are stewards of democratic values that, by participating in the community, contribute to social development in every venture during life after school.