Källkritik - vägen till en demokratisk medborgare? : En studie av tre läroböcker i samhällskunskap 1a1

Sammanfattning: The aim of this essay is to examine three textbooks in ”samhällskunskap 1a1” for students in upper secondary education by looking at how they deal with source criticism and thereby see how the students are formed to become democratic citizens based on Robert Dahls (2002) criteria for democracy. The method used is a content analysis. The result reveals that the students learn basic knowledge about source criticism in relation to a wide variety of sources. To learn source criticism the students read texts and work with different kinds of assignments. The students’ influence varies. The main purpose with source criticism is to be able to handle sources’ lack of credibility. The textbooks are mostly addressed to individuals, someone who is unknown or everyone. There are differences between the textbooks, but they are not of great importance. The textbooks work with source criticism in a way that forms democratic citizens. In some of the textbooks’ questions, the students’ thoughts are requested. The textbooks also give students the opportunity to get sufficient and equal knowledge about source criticism so they can process information in the new media landscape. All students are included in the textbooks. The textbooks can develop their work with the formation of democratic citizens by giving the students more influence than they have now.