Research project Marinade and Memory

The Swedish school system is often described as neutral and free from religious influence. But to what extent is this actually the case? This project examines how the Lutheran Protestant tradition has shaped Swedish schooling and how this historical legacy continues to influence education today, despite the fact that schools have long been formally non-confessional.

To understand this, a marinade metaphor is used: even when visible religious elements have been removed, cultural and historical “layers” may remain and continue to shape how schools are organised and how teaching is designed. This can be seen in the school calendar, in how religion is taught, and in the values emphasised in the curriculum.

This research is important because Sweden is one of the most secularized countries in the world, where religion generally plays a limited role in public and social life, while at the same time being one of the most religiously diverse societies in Europe. This creates questions about whose perspectives are taken for granted in schools and which experiences risk being made invisible. If the school’s historical legacy is not made visible, there is a risk that certain norms are reproduced without awareness, which may in turn affect equity for students with different religious and cultural backgrounds.

The knowledge produced by this project can provide teachers, school leaders, and policymakers with a better understanding of how today’s school system has been shaped historically. In doing so, it can also contribute to the development of a more reflective and inclusive school for all students, regardless of background.