Controversial issues in social study subjects: conveying values and facilitating critical thinking

• Published in: Ethics and education Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 593 - 611
• Main Author: Lindström, Niclas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.10.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: controversial issues; Controversial Issues (Course Content); convey values; Critical thinking; Ethical Instruction; Ethics; etik; examine values; Moral education; paradox of moral education; Pedagogy; Religious Education; Social Problems; Social studies education; social study subjects
• ISSN: 1744-9642; 1744-9650; 1744-9650
• DOI: 10.1080/17449642.2024.2418764

This study explores the practical implications of the paradox of moral education, focusing on how Swedish social study teachers (civics, geography, history, and religious education) navigate conflicting responsibilities to convey values and facilitate critical thinking when addressing controversial issues in their classrooms. Through qualitative interviews and observations, teachers were found to often lead by example, maintaining neutrality and presenting diverse perspectives. This approach appears to foster students towards embracing liberal values, promoting independent decision-making and personal responsibility, but it may come at the cost of critically evaluating these very ideals, norms, and values. The absence of official guidelines in the Swedish school system underscores the significance of understanding how teachers balance these conflicting responsibilities in their pedagogical practices. The study sheds light on the practical strategies employed by teachers, contributing valuable insights to a discourse traditionally centred on theoretical solutions to the paradox of moral education.