This book provides a comprehensive overview of Sámi education in a historical and internationally comparative perspective. Despite the cross-national character of the Sámi population, academic literature on Sámi education has so far been published within the different nation states in the Sámi area, and rarely in English. Exploring indigenous educational history around the world, this collection spans from Asia to Oceania to Sápmi and the Americas. The chapters frame Sámi school history within an international context of indigenous and minority education. In doing so, two narrative threads are established: both traditional history of education, and perspectives on the decolonisation of education. This pioneering book will appeal to students and scholars of Sámi education, as well as indigenous education around the world.

This open access book is the first account of the whole diversity of teacher education in the Nordic region: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, the Åland Islands and Sápmi (where the Sámi people live). Today, large parts of the world are looking to the Nordic model of social organization, and interest in the Nordic comprehensive school system and teacher education arrangements is no exception. A good education is a key to prosperity and well-being. And the quality of students’ education is undoubtedly linked to the quality of their teachers’ education. While teacher education in the Nordic region is globally admired, it also faces new challenges. The leading scholars writing in this volume discuss the challenges and opportunities that professional environments are facing. By providing solid portraits of each area as well as analyses across the region, this book will be a great resource to students, academics in teacher education and schooling as well as social scientists and policy-makers inside and outside the Nordic region. This is an open access book.

Over the last decade, Finland’s educational system has become internationally recognised. Different countries have shown an interest in learning about the Finnish education system to gain a better understanding of how education is developed, planned and executed in that country. The Introduction to the Finnish Educational System aims to describe how the education system in Finland was built and what kind of aspects influence learning and teaching today. The authors of the chapters are academics and experts in the fields of teacher education or vocational education. The book presents a review of the historical and current aspects of the educational system of Finland. As such, it describes the learning path from compulsory education to vocational education and primary school teacher education, which is one of the main focuses of the Faculty of Education at the University of Lapland. Each chapter is based on its authors’ research results, which are adapted for inclusion in this book. It answers an international call to provide an in-depth description of the National Finnish Education System from its beginning to today and to discuss the practical implications of these measures. Contributors are: Heikki Ervast, Marjaana Kangas, Pigga Keskitalo, Otso Kortekangas, Minna Körkkö, Outi Kyrö-Ämmälä, Pertti Lakkala, Suvi Lakkala, Merja Paksuniemi, Rauna Rahko-Ravantti, Päivi Rasi, and Heli Ruokamo.

Are Truth and Reconciliation Commission processes enough to achieve reconciliation? This volume discusses issues that arise once the task of reconciliation emanates from the limited scope of a specific Truth and Reconciliation Commission and into the larger society and political system that originated it. Scholars spanning several research fields, from law to history to theology, discuss how transformative reconciliation can be cultivated in a society, using decolonization and other perspectives, along three lines: by specifying transformative issues and processes in law and politics, by criticizing historical perspectives on the past and its concepts as deliberations of the status quo, and by instilling the inherent dynamics of truth and reconciliation processes as permanent features within broader society. The volume embarks on an investigation of the Norwegianization policy, a historical framework that brought injustices upon minority groups, such as the Sami and Kvens (Norwegian Finns) in Norway, and parallel groups in Sweden and Finland. It extends its exploration to analogous unjust policies in South Africa, Canada, and various other contexts. Within the complex web of cultural, social, political, and economic struggles stemming from colonial policies, the roles of religion, politics, research institutions, and civil society are critically examined.

This text offers students rich local cultural examples of Early Childhood Education from around the world. Informed by first-hand research and practice, the book provides authentic snapshots of ECE from countries, including Afghanistan, Australia, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Eswatini, Mongolia, Nepal, Sami children of Finland, and Syrian refugee children, enabling readers to better understand the wider determinants influencing the multiplicity and diversity of children’s daily experiences. With expert contributors drawn from across the world, this book is essential reading for those interested in global perspectives on early childhood. Dr Naomi McLeod is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Liverpool John Moores University. Dr Emem E.Okon develops professional development programmes for educational practitioners in Nigeria. Diane Garrison is an anti-racist, educator, leader and community mentor. Dr Diane Boyd is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Liverpool John Moores University. Dr Angela Daly is a Reader in Education and Global Learning at Liverpool John Moores University.

This book discusses special characteristics of the education of Sámi people, an indigenous people living in Northern Europe. It provides a comprehensive study on indigenous school research and special features of Sámi education and focuses on new, reformative pedagogical models and culturally sensitive teaching arrangements.

This book provides a comprehensive and multifaceted analysis of the Sámi society and its histories and people, offering valuable insights into how they live and see the world. The chapters examine a variety of social and cultural practices, and consideration is given to environment, legal and political conditions and power relations. The contributions by a range of experts of Sámi studies and Indigenous scholars are drawn from across the Sápmi region, which spans from central Norway and central Sweden across Finnish Lapland to the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Sámi perspectives, concepts and ways of knowing are foregrounded throughout the volume. The material connects with wider discussions within Indigenous studies and engages with current concerns relating to globalization, environmental and cultural change, Arctic politics, multiculturalism, postcolonialism and neoliberalism. The Sámi World will be of interest to scholars from a number of disciplines, including Indigenous studies, anthropology, sociology, geography, history and political science.