Extensive research has been conducted on multicultural education in Nordic countries, revealing valuable insights into various issues and good practices for fostering empowering learning environments.

Studies have examined a range of topics, including language acquisition, multicultural communication, belonging, teacher education, and curriculum design. Researchers have also explored the impact of multicultural education on student outcomes, such as academic achievement, engagement, and self-esteem. Through their work, they have identified several key factors that contribute to the success of multicultural education programs in Nordic schools.

Assignment

1. Choose two Nordic countries that interest you and read research articles from the list below.
2. Read the articles carefully and take notes on the main findings and implications of the research.
3. Write a reflection on the research findings. In your text, address the following questions:
   • What are the similarities and differences in the research findings between the two countries?
   • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research methodology used in each article?
   • What are the implications of the research findings for educational practices in each country?
4. Submit your text using the submission box below.
5. Everyone will receive feedback on their reflection.

Happy reading!

DENMARK

• Kristensen, S. B. (2022). “Jeg bliver nødt til at sige vi om dem” – oprør mod racialisering blandt unge i den danske folkeskole [“I have to say we about them” – resistance against racialization amongst youth in the Danish public school]. Nordisk tidsskrift for ungdomsforskning, 3(1), 60-77.
• Mock-Muñoz de Luna, C., Granberg, A., Krasnik, A., & Vitus, K. (2020). Towards more equitable education: Meeting health and wellbeing needs of newly arrived migrant and refugee children—perspectives from educators in Denmark and Sweden. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 15(2), 1-13
• Rytter, M. (2019). Writing against integration: Danish imaginaries of culture, race and belonging. Ethnos, 84(4), 678-697. 

FINLAND

• Dervin, F., Paatela-Nieminen, M., Kuoppala, K., & Riitaoja, A.-L. (2012). Multicultural education in Finland: Renewed intercultural competencies to the rescue? International Journal of Multicultural Education, 14(3).
• Laine, M. (2016). Culture in sustainability – Defining cultural sustainability in education. Discourse and communication for sustainable education, 7(2), 52-67.
• Zilliacus, H., Holm, G., & Sahlström, F. (2017). Taking steps towards institutionalising multicultural education – The national curriculum of Finland. Multicultural Education Review, 9(4), 231-248.  

ICELAND

• Benediktsson, A. I. (2021). Establishing a multicultural learning environment based on active knowledge exchange and mutual trust between teachers and students. Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education (NJCIE), 5(2), 79-85.
• Benediktsson, A. I. (2023). Navigating the complexity of theory: Exploring Icelandic student teachers’ perspectives on supporting cultural and linguistic diversity in compulsory schooling. International Journal of Educational Research, 120, 1-13.
• Jónsdóttir, F., & Einarsdóttir, J. (2022). Professional support for teachers and children in diverse classrooms. Early Years, Latest articles, 1-15.

NORWAY

• Benediktsson, A. I. (2022). The place of multicultural education in legal acts concerning teacher education in Norway. Multicultural Education Review, 14(4), 228-242.
• Dewilde, J., & Skrefsrud, T.-A. (2021). Revisiting studies of multicultural school events from the perspective of strategic essentialism. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk, 7, 196–209. 
• Goth, U. S., & Kjelsvik, B. (2020). Likeverdighet, fordommer og inkludering: Interkulturell kompetanse i en pedagogisk sammenheng [Equality, prejudice, and inclusion: Intercultural competence in a pedagogical context]. In G. Hagesæther, G. Innerdal, & B. Kvam (Eds.), NLA Høgskolen. Fagutvikling og sjølvforståing på kristen grunn (pp. 245-268). Cappelen Damm Akademisk.

SWEDEN

• Helakorpi, J., Dovemark, M., Rasmussen, A., & Holm, G. (2023). Positions of newly arrived students in Nordic education policies and practices. Nordic Studies in Education, 43(2), 111–127.
• Lahdenperä, P., Gustavsson, H.-O., Lundgren, M., & von Schantz Lundgren, I. (2016). The key role of the school principal’s leadership in the schooling of newly arrived immigrant pupils in Sweden: Experiences from an interactive action research project. Open Journal of Leadership, 5(1), 20-30. 
• Mock-Muñoz de Luna, C., Granberg, A., Krasnik, A., & Vitus, K. (2020). Towards more equitable education: Meeting health and wellbeing needs of newly arrived migrant and refugee children—perspectives from educators in Denmark and Sweden. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 15(2), 1-13