Svenska läroböckers skildringav Sverige i samtidshistorien : Med andra världskriget och kalla kriget som utgångs-punkt

Sammanfattning: This bachelor thesis researches the differences and similarities of how Sweden is depicted in World War Two and the Cold War in Swedish history textbooks with students between age 15 and 19 as intended readers. The thesis uses a historiographical toolset described by Michael Stanford. Three textbooks from the 1960’s, one from the 2000’s, and two from the 2010’s have been analysed. My conclusions are: The textbooks have one voice and one perspective through the whole narrative thus the history in the textbooks is unchallenged, albeit the newer textbooks include discussion and text analysis for the students. The early textbooks do not criticise Swe-den during World War Two whereas the newer ones tend to have a critical outlook with one exception. The focus on Sweden in internationally affairs during the Cold War has decreased in the newer textbooks. Sweden is generally described as a peaceful neutral country with little to no international influence during both wars. The perspective on Sweden’s neutral policies are generally depicted as something positive. Two of the newer ones apply more criticism against Sweden’s politics, however. Because of the textbooks monotone retelling, teachers need to not treat the textbooks as an authority in the classroom, but as one way to tell history.