Traditionally, the teacher body is disregarded in the educational field. This is because of traditional Western ideologies within which hierarchical dichotomies such as mind/body, matter/discourse, and theory/practice are maintained. In this study, I investigate discourse in four Swedish teacher’s manuals on norm-critical pedagogy. Proceeding from postconstructionist and feminist corpomaterialist perspectives, I research how the manuals maintain and/or challenge the traditional ways of knowledge production concerning the teacher. More specifically, I analyse how the manuals address the teacher body and how they challenge and/or reproduce the idea of ‘a bodiless teacher’. Proceeding from Critical Discourse Analysis by Norman Fairclough, postconstructionism, feminist corpomaterialism, and Guattarian and Deleuzian philosophy of affects, I look at the linguistic, discursive, and social practices of the manuals. In addition, I contribute to the discussion from my experiences as a teacher educator and educational material creator in questions related to equality and inclusion.  I argue that the manuals mainly maintain the traditional ways of knowledge production concerning the teacher by depicting the teacher as ‘bodiless’. This is done by disregarding the teacher body and addressing it as static. Nevertheless, the manuals challenge the idea of ‘a bodiless teacher’ in part. This is done by addressing the teacher body as being in composition with time, space, matter, and power (i.e., created in affective forces). Overall, the idea of ‘a bodiless teacher’ is maintained to a larger extent than it is challenged. As I understand discourse as both constituted and constituting, I claim that the manuals take part in the current discourse around the teacher, and adhere to the idea that there is no room for the teacher body and its inevitable parts (such as emotions, feelings, passion) in an educational context.

The study aims to examine how three books written for teenagers and young adults address topics that are generally considered as deviant to social norms in order to conclude if they can contribute to a norm critical pedagogy in school. Norm critical pedagogy is foremost based on gender- and queer theory and tends to discuss how social norms and power structures are constructed and reproduced in different social contexts. To work in a norm critical fashion the teacher must be aware of the present norms and work to make the pupils conscious of them. Thereby the focus is on existing norms, rather on the deviances. To use norm critical pedagogy correct it must be incorporated in all subjects in school. The books that have been analysed in this essay are Syskonkärlek by Katarina von Bredow, Henrietta är min hemlighet by Maja Hjertzell and Tusen gånger starkare by Christina Herrström. This study shows that all books include and discuss subjects that are deviant to social norms, such as: non-conformal gender roles, homosexuality and incest. Tusen gånger starkare and Henrietta är min hemlighet are suitable to teach in upper school and upper secondary school, because they discuss subjects and themes that pupils and students in that age can relate to and they are written in ways that open up to discussions.  However, all books are not suitable to use in a norm critical pedagogy. Syskonkärlek’s theme is the incestuous relationship between a brother and a sister. Incestuous love is not only deviant to social norms, it is also against the law. To teach that book in the purpose to make the pupils aware of norms and start thinking critical about them, can have the opposite effect, though incest is seen as wrong in so many ways.

This research report follows a group of educators, project managers and scientists involved in a norm-critical project: Norm Creative Certification. The aim of this study is to examine the proposal for, and obstacles to, a norm-critical change that the group discusses in relation to the project and its educational context. The research report also examines whom are expected to make the norm-critical change. For gathering the empirical material the method participant observation is used. Further, the material has been analyzed inspired by Carol Bacchis policy analysis method What is the problem represented to be? Carol Bacchis method has worked indicative, since the material is more organic than a policy. The research report has been analyzed in the context of theories of intersectionality and Kevin Kumashiros theory about antioppressive pedagogy. The obstacles that the reference group refers to a norm-critical change is partly a threatening outside world and an internal feminist critic, the lack of action, a fake (internal) self-image and a fear of the discomfort and resistance that norm-critical change raises. The components that the group suggests for a positive development, is linked to the experience-based learning, an interested attitude of the practitioner, the relation to time and an understanding of conflict, power and domination. What also emerges is that the norm-critical change occurs in the individual, which is assumed not to have any experience of being outside the norm. A duality emerges overall as the group relates to two parallel ideas and pedagogical approaches. Partly the group relates to a "market" where assignments will be carried out and where it is stressed that action without understanding is a way to a norm-critical change. At the same time signed an opposite condition for a norm-critical change, where time, your own experience, understanding and self-reflexivity stands in the center. Here the focus is on longer processes, the individual and the learning processes.

The purpose of this study is to find out which attitudes, norms and values exists about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) families in preschools. Based on five qualitative interviews with teachers that work at a LGBT-certified preschool and one that is active in their work with norm critical pedagogy. To be able to fulfil my purpose of this study I concentrated on why these teachers believed that it was of importance to counter society’s heteronormativity, to prevent discrimination and mistreatments towards children and their LGBT parents in preschool. I wanted to find out what the teachers thoughts were on the concept of what a family is and how the diversity of families is shown in the preschools material and pedagogy. When I analysed the results of my qualitative interviews I used queer theories that include heteronormativity and norm critical pedagogy. The interviews of the teachers showed that they thought it was of great importance to work with a norm critical pedagogy because they did not believe that society’s heteronormativity could or should rule in preschools. The assumption that the majority, to not say all of the children, come from nuclear families does not agree with the reality of many children in our society. To assume such thing can lead to discrimination and obscureness. The results of my study show that by reviewing your own norms and perceptions of normality, will allow you to work with a norm critical approach. It also gives you an awareness that will help you as an educator to make sure that more children and families feel that they are acknowledged and respected. The active choice of methods and materials in the preschool helps the teachers to ensure that the children can be seen and reflected on a daily basis. By questioning heteronormativity in preschool, teachers offer children more opportunities and presents different realities. It also helps them to develop measures to analyse the norms and not just assume that there is only one right way to live.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur lärare i ämnet samhällskunskap förhåller sig till normkritisk pedagogik, samt hur de uppfattar att deras förhållningssätt präglar den samhällskunskapsundervisning som sker. Syftet är också att undersöka vilka faktorer som påverkar lärarnas förhållningssätt till normkritisk pedagogik. Normkritisk pedagogik handlar om att visa sätten som olika normer interagerar och skapar obalanser i makt samt om hur dessa normer kan utmanas inom undervisningssammanhang (Bromseth & Darj, 2010, s. 13). Samhällskunskapslärare som undervisar i årskurs 7-9 har besvarat en kvalitativ enkät om deras förhållningssätt till normkritisk pedagogik. Samhällskunskapslärarnas svar har analyserats utifrån flera bakgrundsfaktorer för att undersöka eventuella variationer i deras förhållningssätt utifrån deras bakgrund. Dessa bakgrundsfaktorer var ålder, kön, yrkeserfarenhet, behörighet och ämneskombination.  Samhällskunskapslärarna har till stor del positiva uppfattningar av begreppen normkritik och normkritisk pedagogik, vilket medför att majoriteten av samhällskunskapslärarna arbetar med normkritisk pedagogik i hög utsträckning eller i mycket hög utsträckning. Studien visar även en viss relation mellan ålder och kön som bakgrundsfaktorer för i vilken utsträckning som samhällskunskapslärarna arbetar med normkritisk pedagogik. Ett resultat var dessutom att de studerade samhällskunskapslärarna anser att deras personliga bakgrund har påverkat deras förhållningssätt till normkritisk pedagogik i högre utsträckning än styrdokumenten. Faktorer som samhällskunskapslärarna själva menar har påverkat deras förhållningssätt är deras personliga bakgrund, didaktiska reflektioner, samhället och eleverna. Samhällskunskapslärarna nämner emellertid inte styrdokumenten som en viktig påverkansfaktor. Majoriteten av samhällskunskapslärarna menar dessutom att deras förhållningssätt till normkritisk pedagogik påverkar deras samhällskunskapsundervisning. Studien indikerar även en viss relation mellan kön som bakgrundsfaktor och i vilken utsträckning som samhällskunskapslärarna menar att deras förhållningssätt till normkritisk pedagogik påverkar deras samhällskunskapsundervisning. Flera samhällskunskapslärare betonar emellertid att andra faktorer än deras förhållningssätt påverkar deras val av ämnesinnehåll och undervisningsmetoder. Dessa faktorer är styrdokumentens centrala innehåll och/eller den aktuella elevgruppen.  Studien visar även att det är möjligt att styrdokumenten, lagar och institutioner kan påverka samhällskunskapslärares förhållningssätt till normkritisk pedagogik utan deras medvetenhet. Studien visar emellertid även att majoriteten av samhällskunskapslärarna menar att deras personliga bakgrund påverkar deras förhållningssätt, vilket i sin tur påverkar den konkreta samhällskunskapsundervisningen. Styrdokumenten, diskrimineringslagen och Skolverket som institution fungerar därmed som ramar som påverkar och reglerar samhällskunskapslärares förhållningssätt till normkritisk pedagogik och deras samhällskunskapsundervisning. / The purpose of this essay is to investigate how teachers in the subject of social studies approach norm-critical pedagogy, and how they perceive that their approach characterizes the social studies teaching that takes place. The purpose is also to investigate which factors influence the teachers’ approach to norm-critical pedagogy. Norm-critical pedagogy is about showing the ways in which different norms interact and create imbalances in power and about how these norms can be challenged in teaching contexts (Bromseth & Darj, 2010, p. 13). Social studies teachers who teach 7-9 graders have answered a qualitative questionnaire about their approach to norm-critical pedagogy. The social studies teachers’ answers have been analyzed on the basis of several background factors in order to investigate possible variations in their approach based on their background. These background factors were age, gender, professional experience, eligibility and subject combination.  The social studies teachers have to a large extent positive perceptions of the concepts of norm criticism and norm-critical pedagogy, which causes the majority of the social studies teachers to work with norm-critical pedagogy to a high extent or to a very high extent. The study also shows a certain relationship between age and gender as background factors for the extent to which the social studies teachers work with norm-critical pedagogy. A result was also that the social studies teachers believe that their personal background have influenced their approach to norm-critical pedagogy to a greater extent than the steering documents. Factors that the social studies teachers themselves believe have influenced their approach are their personal background, didactic reflections, the society and the students. However, the social studies teachers do not mention the steering documents as an important factor. The majority of the social studies teachers also believe that their approach to norm-critical pedagogy affects their social studies teaching. The study also indicated a certain relationship between gender as a background factor and the extent to which the social studies teachers believe that their approach to norm-critical pedagogy affects their social studies teaching. However, several social studies teachers emphasize that other factors than their approach influence their choice of subject content and teaching methods. These factors are the central content of the steering documents and/or the students.  The study also shows that it is possible that the steering documents, laws and institutions can influence social studies teachers’ attitudes to norm-critical pedagogy without their awareness. However, the study also shows that the majority of the social studies teachers believe that their personal background influences their approach, which in turn affects their social studies teaching. The steering documents, the Discrimination Act and the Swedish National Agency for Education as an institution thus function as frameworks that influence and regulate social studies teachers’ approach to norm-critical pedagogy and their social studies teaching.

Syftet med vår essä är att undersöka situationen för fritidshemslärare med utländsk bakgrund inom svensk skola. Vi har fokuserat på situationer då elevers ifrågasättande av att de avviker från normen på grund av att deras hudfärg. Vi har skrivit berättelser som bygger på våra egna erfarenheter ifrån vårt arbetsliv som vi ser som dilemman. Fyra frågeställningar har vi kunnat forma utifrån våra dilemman. För att kunna förstå våra dilemman och besvara våra frågeställningar har vi använt teorier som handlar om dialogiska samtal och erfarenheter, interkulturellt ledarskap, normer, maktperspektiv, svenska styrdokument för skolan och yrkesetik. Vår slutsats är bland annat att genom dialog om våra personliga erfarenheter kan man förstå sig själv och andra bättre. I vår essä framgår det också hur viktiga styrdokumenten är som stöd för fritidshemslärare i sina ageranden som påverkar elevernas sociala utveckling. / The purpose with our essay is to research the situation of leisure-time teachers within the Swedish school that has foreign background, specifically the situation when pupils question them of being different from the norm through the color of their skin. We have written stories that we have based on our own experiences from our professional lives and that we view as dilemmas. We have been able to form four questions from our dilemmas. For us to be able to understand our dilemmas and to answer our questions we have used theories that are about dialogue, experience, intercultural leadership, norm and authority perspective, Swedish regulation documents for school and work-ethics. Our conclusion, amongst other things, is that through dialogue about our personal experiences one can understand oneself and others better. In our essay, it also shows the importance of the regulation documents as support to the leisure-time teachers in their actions that influence pupils`, social developement.

This study investigates whether teachers working with children ages 6 – 9 are including an LGBTQ perspective in their teaching methods. The purpose is to critically examine sexuality and gender as part of the teaching methods in Swedish schools; whether teachers are working with LGBTQ questions in their classes, and if so, how. The following research questions are answered:  Are the teachers incorporating an LGBTQ perspective in their classes, and if so, in what sense? Are LGBTQ questions relevant and of interest in the education? Do teachers feel like they have gained the right tools in their pedagogical education and/or in their workplace to work with LGBTQ questions in their class room? And if so, in what way?  The method used is qualitative research in the form of interviews and observations. The conclusions reached are that in theory most teachers agree that an LGBTQ perspective is of importance in the classes; however in practice it is not that easy. Most teachers agree that is it difficult to incorporate this perspective. All teachers stress that their pedagogical education lacked in providing an LGBTQ perspective, but a couple teachers point out that they have received it from their workplace instead.

The curriculum for upper secondary school clearly states that every school is obliged to ensure that teaching centres on and implements democratic values in order to prevent discrimination (Skolverket, 2013). How to do this however, is up to the local school to decide. Norm-critical pedagogy shows that in order to inculcate democratic values in education, the individual teacher must design the teaching material so that it focuses on such values (Bromseth & Darj, 2010). The purpose of this study, and the aim of this essay, is to investigate how democratic values can be implemented in classroom practice using Shakespeare’s The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of The Shrew. English classes in the courses English 5 and English 6 were asked to read extracts from each of the plays, and then evaluate the play of choice in terms of the socio-political reality of the late Renaissance portrayed in the extracts, through the prism of today’s democratic values. The pupils were assisted in the task by having close-reading questions to answer, and later a smaller written assessment in form of a blog-entry, in order to help develop their thinking. The results of the study show that the pupils were perfectly able to evaluate and discuss values and practices such as equality, racism or sexism based on their reading. From a normpedagogical approach to teaching, it therefore seem that Shakespeare’s The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of The Shrew can be utilised as teaching material in order to help foster the development of democratic values, and discussions around the same, into the classroom.

The curriculum for upper secondary school clearly states that every school is obliged to ensure that teaching centres on and implements democratic values in order to prevent discrimination (Skolverket, 2013). How to do this however, is up to the local school to decide. Norm-critical pedagogy shows that in order to inculcate democratic values in education, the individual teacher must design the teaching material so that it focuses on such values (Bromseth & Darj, 2010). The purpose of this study, and the aim of this essay, is to investigate how democratic values can be implemented in classroom practice using Shakespeare’s The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of The Shrew. English classes in the courses English 5 and English 6 were asked to read extracts from each of the plays, and then evaluate the play of choice in terms of the socio-political reality of the late Renaissance portrayed in the extracts, through the prism of today’s democratic values. The pupils were assisted in the task by having close-reading questions to answer, and later a smaller written assessment in form of a blog-entry, in order to help develop their thinking. The results of the study show that the pupils were perfectly able to evaluate and discuss values and practices such as equality, racism or sexism based on their reading. From a norm-pedagogical approach to teaching, it therefore seem that Shakespeare’s The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Taming of The Shrew can be utilised as teaching material in order to help foster the development of democratic values, and discussions around the same, into the classroom.

In February 2021 the Swedish government announced the revision of curricula in every educational level, to correspond to the Sexuality, Consent and Relationships knowledge field. The purpose of this research is to explore the ways the Swedish high school curriculum, with the support of Skolverket’s webpage, has integrated notions of a) gender and sexuality, b) body in connection to sexuality and c) ethnicity, concerning students. This paper begins with the historical context of sex education in Sweden, reaching the current situation. Then, with a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach, it attempts to answer the research questions, based on theories from both pedagogical and gender studies to set the basis for the research analysis. The major finding of this research is that the curriculum addresses to large extent issues of inclusivity around gender and ethnicity, with a focus on gender-based violence and consent in relationships. On the other hand, the human body is not actively present in that process, while students’ sexuality is presented as more passive than active. Finally, the language of this new curriculum works in many cases in a cisnormative way while there are parts where language is more inclusive. Τhis research suggests that Swedish educational policies rethink issues of identity in relation to sex education and that they imagine a more active role for students in their own sex education.