The rhetoric and reality of human rights education: policy frameworks and teacher perspectives

Abstract

A multicultural society that equates Christian and humanist values with human rights denies pluralism, placing human rights culture at risk. We examine Norwegian education policy discourses, noting human rights as a key feature of national identity, said to underpin schooling. Education policy maintains distinctions between those who embody national values and migrant others who need to learn them. We analyse the human rights-related competences students are expected to have on completing 10th grade, examining social studies and religious education curricula and teacher interview data. We consider whether the curriculum supports transformative human rights education (HRE), empowering learners to defend others’ rights and build solidarity across difference. Data suggest that HRE is frequently implicit, restricted, and dependent on teachers’ individual perceptions of rights. Teachers may lack legal knowledge and are unsure how to tackle everyday injustice or racism. We recommend education policy explicitly address shared HRE principles and recognize racial injustice.