DEMOGRAFI OG BEFOLKNING I NORSKE LÆREPLANAR 1974-2020: Verdiar, vitskap eller samtidsutfordringar?

Abstract

This master thesis aims to analyse how population and demography have been represented in Norwegian curricula between 1974 and 2020. Furthermore, it aims to analyse how historical population, present population, and demographical scenarios for the future are emphasized in Norwegian curricula. What have influenced the representations and the emphasis over time? The government wants to prepare the youngest generation for the challenges of an ever-shifting population. The government manage this e.g., by producing curricula that state knowledge, values and competencies pupils should acquire through school. However, the government is not the only one that can influence what is represented in curricula. Former research has shown that, for instance, society, fields of science and the zeitgeist can also influence the final topics in curricula. Based on previous studies, three hypotheses have been established for potential influence: influence of values, influence from the field of population and influence from the present challenges and topics for each curriculum. In the process of producing a new national curriculum in Norway in 2020, the shifting composition of population was pointed out as one of the main factors that pupils need to be prepared for to meet future challenges. Between 1974 and 2020 there have been five Norwegian national curricula. In this time frame, the field of historical demography and population studies have developed advanced methods and new knowledge has arrived. The five national curricula have been analysed individually in their own chapter by using a quantitative text analysis called Keyword in context (KWIC). The results for each curriculum have then been compared to display possible changes over time in the representations. This master thesis finds that curricula are generally up to date in terms of knowledge and studies in the field of population studies. The field of population studies set the foundation for representation of population and demography in the curricula. However, the contemporary challenges and topics of the period for each curriculum, have influenced what demographical components, phenomenon, and view of population that have been highlighted and extracted from the field and represented in the curricula. The contemporary demographical topics has then been fitted the values for each curriculum before being displayed in the curricula. In the curricula, historical demography and future demographical scenarios are also to be studied by the pupils to some degree, but in terms of contemporary topics.