Social Studies as Socialisation, Qualification and Subjectification

In Sweden, social studies is the assigned subject with the major responsibility for political education. Schools’ overall assignment can be defined using Gert Biestas three concepts of the functions of education: socialisation, qualification and subjectification. Firstly, schools have a role in socialising students into society, passing on values and knowledge. Secondly, the school system should contribute to students’ qualification as citizens, helping them advancing their civic and critical literacy. Thirdly, education should give students’ the possibility to be independent subjects. The functions, or dimensions, are separate, but meet in all kind of education and generally aim at political participation. Teachers are faced with several educational challenges; legitimising perspectives vs. critical thinking and allowing students to “be citizens” as well as qualifying them, thus seeing them as “citizens to be”. This paper explores and discusses theoretically how Biesta`s educational functions relate to social studies teaching by discussing the subject`s function.