The Timeless Space : How fiction in upper secondary schools can be connected to the foundation of values

The study analyses fiction used in upper secondary schools in the subject of English in the aims of connecting it to the Swedish concept of “värdegrunden” (foundation of values) which all education in Swedish schools must be based on. The study aims to answer the question of how teachers work with fiction in relation to the foundation of values, and to identify which power structures and norms occur in the fiction they use in relation to sexuality, ethnicity, and equality. The methods used in this study are semi structured interviews and an intersectional analysis. The study has found that the teachers use different strategies when working with “värdegrunden” and literature, such as normalisation by including LGBT and POC-themed (People of Colour) books into English language education, working around specific themes, and giving students the opportunity to reflect and discuss the books together in order to combat discrimination and encourage tolerance