The Swedish model of civic education: achievements, paradoxes and lessons for Spain from comparative European experience
Abstract
This article examines the Swedish model of civic education, structured around the subject samhällskunskap, and analyses its outcomes in participation, competencies and institutional trust, contrasting them with the Spanish case. Through a qualitative comparative case study approach, curricular sources, international assessments (ICCS, OECD, Eurydice) and official statistics are reviewed. Three explanatory mechanisms for the Swedish success are identified: early introduction, active pedagogy and cross-curricular integration. However, paradoxes persist such as the formation of competent but cynical citizens, as well as regional and immigrant-origin inequalities. The article concludes with lessons for Spain, underlining the need to adapt the principles of the Swedish model to the specificities of the Spanish national reality.
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