Powerful Geographical Knowledge and Students' Understanding of Global Migration in Times of "Crises"

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Global and National Civics in Social Studies

Abstract

This study examines Swedish students’ understanding of migration in the aftermath of the European “refugee crisis” and discusses what subject resources geography education might contribute with in order to understand global migration. Previous research on young people’s knowledge on migration is limited, but studies show that students are strongly influenced by media reporting which they internalise with own lived experiences. The data consist of 51 accounts on global migration and demonstrate a narrative of migrants as refugees. Departing from Michael Young’s (2013) concept of “powerful knowledge” we discuss how geographical thinking might advance students’ understanding beyond their everyday experience. The contribution is twofold: it gives educational insight into young people’s understanding on migration and discusses the possibilities of subject resources.

Authors

• Johan Sandahl, Stockholm University

• Lotta Dessen Jankell, Stockholm University