Till Örebro universitet

This paper focuses on the field of children’s rights in education with a specific interest in the teacher’s role and views. The aim of this research is to increase knowledge on how the teacher’s approach to children and to rights is of importance for how education for children’s human rights is enacted in schools. Through a research synthesis I examine how previous research has constructed the teacher’s approach as a significant factor for education for children’s human rights. 

Theoretical frameworks: The research is based on a theoretical framework that combines rights theorization and governmentality. The rights theorization (Bobbio, 1996, Orend, 2002) with a view on human rights as continually developing and expanding create a background for the study. By using the aspects of government - rationalities, techniques and aims (Foucault, 1987/2003; 1978/1991; Rose, 1999; Dean, 2010; Walters, 2012) - I elaborate on the concept of teacher’s approach. By using the concept approach it is possible to perceive how previous research has constructed teachers’ theories and ideas as well as their actions and their aims as significant for how the education for children’s human rights is enacted. 

Methodology: An article search in relevant online databases was carried out. Different combinations of the words human rights, children’s rights, school, education and teacher resulted in 539 articles. After applying a inclusion criteria on the 539 abstracts, 118 studies were selected and read in full. This reading resulted in the inclusion of 31studies. To compensate for only using one search engine a snowball search from the 31 reference lists was performed. This resulted in another 9 texts, and the final number of texts included in the synthesis was 40. 

In the analysis the concepts rationalities, techniques and aims, which together construct the concept of teacher’s approach, were leading. Within each concept several categories were established. 

Findings: In using the theoretical argument for the concept approach, previous research puts great emphasis on teachers' rationalities. Teachers' aims and techniques are also highlighted as important for the enactment of education on children’s human rights. Previous research also stresses how these rationalities, techniques and aims are internalized in the teachers as well as teachers' lack of relevant theories, knowledge and reflection on techniques and reflected aims.