FORMANDET AV EUROPEISK IDENTITET? En diskursanalys av svenska läroböcker i samhällskunskap

Abstract

This article explores how european identity is portrayed and explained in social science textbooks written for high school education. As well as exploring which linguistic strategies that are used in those explanations. The aim is to deepen the understanding of european identity and how it is formulated in Swedish education. Furthermore, the aim is to deepen the understanding about what elements students are given to construct their individual view and opinions of what european identity is. The theoretical framework is based on social constructivism, discourse theory and discourse analysis. Consequently, discourse analysis is also this article’s methodological approach.

The result of the analysis shows that european identity does not have its own discourse. Instead, traces of the identity are found in discourses of historical heritage, institutional unity, political and economic perspectives, inclusion and exclusion, shared values and encouragement to reflection and student involvement. Ultimately, the research question is answered by arguing that the lack of an explicit discourse of european identity, is in itself, an answer to the question. And on top of that, that the linguistic strategies that is used in the books, places the responsibility on the students to construct a complete picture of the EU an european identity.