Perspectives on Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice in Education in Four Nordic Countries

Abstract

The article addresses some fundamental values in education and their implications in the Nordic countries, such as equity, democracy, social justice and inclusion, while its main aim is to introduce and discuss main findings from case studies in pre-, compulsory and upper secondary schools that are part of the Nordic research project; Learning Spaces for Inclusion and Social Justice: Success Stories from Immigrant Students and School Communities in Four Nordic Countries. The aims of the research were to 1) to understand and learn from the experiences of immigrant students and children who have succeeded academically and socially; and 2) explore and understand how social justice is implemented in equitable and successful diverse Nordic school contexts and other learning spaces. The research is grounded within theories of critical multicultural education and culturally responsive pedagogy. Findings reveal a variety of successful educational practices on all three school levels while some challenges also exist.