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Society and Education in a Global Context (GLOBE)

The research group Society and Education in a Global Context (GLOBE) aims to strengthen social studies in teacher education through research on societal processes at local, national, and global levels, with relevance for early childhood and teacher education programs.

Established:: 2021
Affiliation:: Faculty of Education
Academic discipline:: Upbringing and education

Illustration photo of children playing with a ball that looks like Earth

Photo: GLOBE/INN University

The central focus of GLOBE is how social processes and political structures are expressed and enacted at global, national, and local levels. The goal is to develop critical perspectives and share new knowledge on topics such as sustainable development, intercultural competence, diversity and social inequality, democracy and mistrust, as well as neoliberalism and the state.

The group is particularly interested in how global politics and power structures have consequences across different levels and societal areas, including educational policy, development policy, and environmental and climate policy.

What we research

GLOBE aims to develop research related to:

Climate action, conflicts of interest, and sustainable development, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially target 4.7: "By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development and lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and the appreciation of cultural diversity and the contribution of culture to sustainable development." This research includes the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
Intercultural competence and global perspectives in early childhood and teacher education, in kindergartens and schools. This research includes topics related to social, ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity; Indigenous knowledge, racism, and decolonization.
Globalization, migration, inequality, poverty, and global awareness, including Global Citizenship Education (GCED).
The state, economy, and politics. This research includes critical perspectives on neoliberal policies and democratic backsliding on a global scale.
Based on discursive, procedural, and structural analytical approaches, from both contemporary and historical perspectives, the research focus more generally on connections between global, national, and local contexts in the abovementioned fields,

More about the research group

GLOBE consists of researchers from sociology, social anthropology, human geography, geography, and history. The group's aim is to strengthen social studies in the teacher education at HINN, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary perspectives. The group also contributes to enhancing the international dimension of multicultural perspectives, which has been a strategic research focus at LUP since 1999. The group's academic profile and activities are geared towards the educational field, especially at MA and PhD levels, and we strive for close contact between students, staff, education programs, and research. The group has a broad and strong international research network, including significant North-South collaborations. The Center for Collaborative Learning for Sustainable Development (CCL), represented within the group, has been awarded the UNESCO Chair for Education for Sustainable Living. GLOBE's research profile aligns with national and international priorities for research and education.