From a history of ignorance in human rights education to education that reflects human rights

Authors

• Tuija Kasa Helsingin yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4185-2253
• Reetta Toivanen Helsingin yliopisto https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1441-6272

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33350/ka.117107

Keywords:

human rights education, ignorance, reflection, teacher education, human rights, history

Abstract

Finland profiles itself as a forerunner in human rights and education, but teachers do not receive systematic human rights education. In this article, we examine the history of human rights education in Finland and the starting points for promoting education that reflects human rights. Drawing on education policy documents and existing literature, we argue that there has been a culture of ignorance about human rights, especially in teacher education. We examine the history of human rights from the 1980s to the 2020s. Ignorance is analysed through epistemic, strategic, and ethical perspectives. Secondly, we explore the importance of reflectivity in overcoming ignorance by asking: what is reflective human rights education? Our study is applicable to broader questions and silences in the context of equality issues, but we limit our analysis to human rights. Our research studies the history of why the culture towards human rights in education has mistakenly assumed that all teachers just know what human rights are. We reflect on the discrepancy between policy and practice by juxtaposing the importance attached to human rights education in many official documents with the lack of human rights education in schools due to prevailing knowledge gaps in (teacher) education. In order to address this ignorance, we focus on the significance of 1) knowledge-based reflection, 2) critical self-reflection – both as parts of education and at administrative levels – and 3) the importance of ethical reflection in education.