Confronting the idealised 'Nordic model' in education with contemporary realities of special education in Sweden

[en] For decades, the Nordic countries have been admired for their inclusive education systems within egalitarian societies, bolstered by PISA studies and global calls to ensure inclusive education as a human right. This paper contrasts idealised perspectives on Nordic education with internal experiences, exploring recent challenges to the relationship between special and inclusive education. Using Sweden as a case study, it highlights internal diversity within the Nordic region, showing differing paths and gaps between research, policy and school realities. The risks of idealising past educational models are discussed, noting that Sweden, once known for its egalitarian education and low special education needs classification rates, now faces higher classification rates and more separate provision due to policy changes. Recent trends have shown a shift towards increased diagnosis and classification, influenced by marketisation and decentralisation policies. The paper focuses on neurodivergence, analysing shifts in government priorities, teacher education, school practices and research agendas. Analysis of recent policies, reports and educational data reveals winners and losers in school participation, providing insights into the implications for educational discourse, the future of the 'Nordic model', and Swedish education in a global context.

Disciplines :

Education & instruction
Sociology & social sciences

Author, co-author :

Taneja-Johansson, Shruti; Department of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

POWELL, Justin J W ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Social Sciences (DSOC) > Education and Society

External co-authors :

yes

Language :

English

Title :

Confronting the idealised 'Nordic model' in education with contemporary realities of special education in Sweden

Publication date :

06 November 2024

Journal title :

European Journal of Special Needs Education

ISSN :

0885-6257

eISSN :

1469-591X

Publisher :

Routledge, United Kingdom

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Focus Area :

Educational Sciences

Development Goals :

4. Quality education

Available on ORBilu :

since 07 November 2024

Statistics

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153 (2 by Unilu)

Number of downloads

116 (0 by Unilu)

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Scopus citations^®

Scopus citations^®
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