Narratives of sámi school history in finland: Assimilation and empowerment

Abstract

In this article, I will discuss the narratives produced in the research of Sámi school history in Finland. The sources consist of studies in Sámi school history and history of education in Finland as well as in pedagogical studies since 1980s to the present day. While the narrative of assimilation dominates the field, due to good historically verifiable reasons, other kind of narratives are discernible as well. The exceptional success achieved in the school policies and improvements in education of and in Sámi point out to a narrative of ethnopolitical victory. The stratification of the Sámi community may be an indication of narrative/histories of empowerment. Ways to discern these narratives in research, and to make Sámi histories multi-vocal, are also discussed in the article.