Kontroversiella frågor i årskurs 4-6 : En kvalitativ studie om kontroversiella frågor inom SO-undervisningen på mellanstadiet ; Controversial Issues in years 4 to 6 : A qualitative study of controversial issues to be discussed in middle school social studies classes

The council of Europe have declared the teaching of controversial issues a matter of educational urgency and therein presenting teachers with the difficult task of teaching these issues to pupils. This paper aims to provide an understanding of which kinds of issues are considered controversial to teach in social science classes in Swedish middle schools. Through the presenting of six interviews with seven middle school teachers, this paper will help to provide insight into some of the issues and challenges middle school teachers face whilst teaching these issues. Teachers are faced with didactic challenges involved with presenting these controversial issues to pupils in order to present a wider range of viewpoints and help give a deeper understanding of the issues presented. This paper will also show how controversial issues in Swedish middle schools are generally the same issues as in society as a whole, that is to say, mostly concerning politics and religion.