| Summary: | The purpose ofthis study is to examine how Sweden and Denmark explain their colonial experience in textbooks. A comparison will be made between Sweden’s colonization of Sápmi and treatment of Samer, and Denmark’s colonization of Greenland and treatment of Innuits. To conduct this study a comparative method was utilized, as well as hermeneutic theory which was used to try to understand how the countries explain their colonial experience. The theory applied for this topic was selective traditions in a textbook perspective. The results show that Sweden tones down their colonial experience, and the textbooks differ a lot in (if) and (how) they mention Sweden’s experience. The colonization of Sápmi is toned down as well as the treatment of Samer in books written before the new curriculum. The textbooks written after the new curriculum present a less toned down version of Sweden ́s treatment of Samer. This change is due to changes in society, as Samer have gained a lot more rights in Swedish society, which can be seen in Swedish textbooks. Denmark does not hide their colonial experiences, and the books also have more consensus in their description of Denmark’s colonial experience. The books before the new curriculum describe Denmark’s colonial experience as proof of the greatness of Denmark’s past. The books after the new curriculum describe Denmark’s colonial experience in the perspective of slave trade. Slave trade was one of the 29 canon points that entered the Danish curriculum, which could have influenced the Danish textbooks. Denmark’s textbooks often describe Denmark as a “good” colonial country, and the textbooks do not describe the treatment of Innuits, which could be explained by that, Denmark’s treatment of Innuits does not match with Denmark’s national image.
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