The research group works with a wide range of topics related to international issues and global conditions, by researching representations, practice and didactic approaches to these educational issues. The group is a community of interests where collaboration on research and educational development related to global literacy/citizenship and international awareness in schools and other learning arenas is central. This involves related topics such as sustainable development, global inequality and resource distribution, war and conflict resolution, global power structures, foreign policy, indigenous peoples and human rights, as well as tensions and interactions between local, national and global societal phenomena in the past and present.

Learning related to international issues and global relations is an integral part of social studies in education, while concepts such as public health and life skills, democratic citizenship, and sustainable development are highlighted as interdisciplinary topics in the Ludvigsen Committee's report on the future school (NOU 2015: 8). It is also integrated in the new core curriculum (2017), and as core elements in the renewal of subject curricula (Udir, 2018). Knowledge and development of professional didactic tools and best practice that equip students for critical awareness, knowledge and skills in a globalized world are necessary components here, while relatively few empirical studies exists on how these fields are practiced in school. The research group thus places itself at the heart of the activities of social studies education, while it has several interdisciplinary dimensions. The members are involved in various projects that are related to the research group's core activities, and meet regularly to present and discuss these in a multidisciplinary forum.

Activities and objectives

• Seminars related to international issues and global conditions in school and other learning arenas
• Projects, research and development related to the thematic issues.
• Promote research collaboration between national and international institutions within relevant topics.
• Contribute to academic and didactic development and research-based teaching practice
• Participation in national and international conferences