Nationalism i skolans  styrdokument : En analys av nationalism i styrdokumenten för den frivilliga skolformen  i  Sverige 1935-2011

Curriculums define what a nation deems as valuable skills and values to be taught to the young individuals that will be entering society. The aim of this study is to analyse which type of nationalism that can be found in Swedish curriculums for higher education from 1935-2011 and how the nationalism is expressed. By applying Benedict Anderson’s theory of imagined communities in conjunction with Anthony D. Smith’s ethno-symbolism, we did a text analysis of four selected Swedish curriculums. These curriculums were chosen based on being the four that suited the chosen era as well as being designed for nonobligatory higher education.Results showed that each curriculum has its own type and form of nationalism with distinct features and means of creating imagined communities between individuals. Metodiska anvisningar för rikets allmänna läroverk has a nationalism based upon the individual’s love for the motherland Sweden. Lgy 70 displays a nationalism centered around the mentality of ‘us versus them’. Lpf 94 shows nationalism defined by cultural understanding and shared values. Gy2011 exhibits a nationalism characterised by equal understanding and shared points of reference. Some of the features and means of creating imagined communities are shared and evolved over time between the different curriculums and the later three aim to avoid being nationalistic. Nonetheless, they still have an element of nationalism in them that dictates their stance on valuable skills and knowledge for their respective contemporary era