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The Association for Teachers of History and Social Studies in Finland was founded in 1948 to promote the interest of history teachers as well as to support them in their work. The association produces material for history teachers and organizes training courses for its members. In addition, the association aims to didactically and pedagogically develop history and social studies, takes actively part in the development of the national curriculum and supports research on history teaching.
Finnish HTA: (Ab)Use of History
History is constantly being (ab)used around us; we can find traces of history (ab)use when we listen to the news, read newspapers or watch films. (Ab)use of history has a special role in politics and conflicts but history is also being (ab)used in everyday social contexts, in which the present and the future are being explained and justified by remarks on the past. As a member of the EUSTORY – network, HYOL, the Association for Teachers of History and Social Studies in Finland offers history teachers from the Baltic Sea countries a unique opportunity to concentrate on this topic during a seminar on 7-10 August 2011 in Helsinki, Finland. The seminar takes place in the historical milieu of the Hanasaari Conference Hotel in Helsinki. The program consists of lectures given by such experts as Prof. Klas-Göran Karlsson from Sweden, Prof. Andreas Körber from Germany, Dr.Pol.Sc. Markku Jokisipilä and Dr.Pol.Sc.Pilvi Torsti, who is in charge of a nationwide research program on history awareness in Finland. In workshops the participants have an opportunity to develop the seminar’s theme further by comparing cases of history (ab)use in their own countries and educational systems. The organizers of the seminar are happy to welcome around 50 history teachers from the following countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden. The seminar is meant for such history teachers whose students have participated in the national history competitions.
The boards of the Finnish and Swedish History Teachers’ Associations met in Finland in the beginning of January. The weather was cold outside but the atmosphere all the more pleasent inside the walls of the Hanasaari Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre. The boards discussed history teaching, matriculations exams and the training of history teachers in the respective countries as well as planned future cooperation between the associations.