Social Studies Curriculum - Sweden

The Swedish Social Studies curriculum emphasizes subject knowledge, democratic values, and disciplinary skills, preparing students for active participation in a complex and changing world. The curriculum is structured across different grade levels, with increasing complexity and depth as students progress. A significant revision of the curriculum occurred in 2022, reflecting a shift towards traditional subject knowledge combined with social realist principles of disciplinary knowledge.

Grades 1-3: Integrated Social Studies

The curriculum for grades 1-3 integrates social studies subjects (civics, history, geography, religion) with a focus on students' everyday experiences and the development of fundamental values such as tolerance and gender equality. This integrated approach reflects a social constructivist model, aiming to foster social cohesion and introduce basic disciplinary methods for investigating the world.

Core Content:

• Depictions of life in the past and present through various media.
• Reasons and consequences of migration.
• Life skills such as right and wrong, friendship, and relationships.
• Norms and rules in different environments.
• Traffic safety.
• Local environment and its impact on living and working conditions.
• Local history and societal functions.
• World geography, human origins, and different historical periods.
• Introduction to basic human rights and democratic processes.
• Basic economic concepts.
• Exploring social questions in different media.
• Methods for searching, assessing, and processing information.
• Developing spatial understanding using maps and other tools.
• Timelines and time concepts.

Knowledge Requirements (Grade 3): Focus on using disciplinary concepts and tools to understand social phenomena.

Grades 4-6: Disciplinary Focus

In grades 4-6, the social studies subjects become more distinct, with a greater emphasis on disciplinary knowledge and skills. The traditional model, with its focus on subject knowledge, is prominent, particularly in civics and religious education. However, the social realist model, emphasizing disciplinary knowledge and analytical skills, gains importance, especially in history. Geography maintains a balance between the three curriculum models.

Civics: Focus on the structure and function of societal structures, democratic decision-making, and human rights.

Geography: Focus on natural and cultural landscapes, natural resources, population distribution, and the use of geographical tools and methods.

History: Focus on historical conditions, events, and figures, using historical sources and concepts to understand social change and cultural interaction.

Religious Education: Focus on rituals, precepts, and key ideas of world religions, exploring their role in society and their influence on personal identity.

Grades 7-9: Complex Social Issues

Grades 7-9 build upon the foundation laid in earlier grades, delving deeper into complex social issues and further developing disciplinary knowledge and skills. The social realist model continues to be influential, particularly in history, while the traditional model remains prominent in civics and religious education. Geography continues its balanced approach.

Civics: Explores social structures, media, legal systems, economic systems, and political systems, focusing on their interactions and influence on individuals and society.

Geography: Examines climate zones, climate change, global trade, population distribution, migration, urbanization, and sustainability issues.

History: Investigates ancient civilizations, industrialization, social change, world wars, democratization, globalization, and the use of history in different contexts.

Religious Education: Analyzes key ideas and documents of world religions, their historical evolution, their role in society, and ethical questions related to religion.

The 2022 curriculum revision, as analyzed in recent research (Börjesson & Lilliestam, 2024), highlights a tension between the traditional, social constructivist, and social realist models. While the traditional model, with its emphasis on subject knowledge, is prevalent, the social realist model's focus on disciplinary knowledge and analytical skills is evident, particularly in history. This combination aims to equip students with both a broad understanding of social studies concepts and the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate an increasingly complex world.