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In this study, we analyze similarities and differences in 957 students’ perceptions of the history of human rights in six countries: England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and the United States of America. This is investigated through the lens of the intended, implemented and achieved curricula. Our aim is to better understand what historical events students perceive as central in the history of human rights in different countries and how this may relate to education about, through and for human rights across borders. While the findings indicate a global culture of human rights, we identify several challenges in the teaching and learning of universal human rights in history education. In some instances, notions of nationalism and exceptionalism in society and history culture pose great challenges to the teaching and learning of human rights. In others, a strong focus on the global world have complicated the identification of human rights issues in the local context. Our findings also highlight the neglect of certain historical narratives, most notably the history of indigenous and minority groups. These findings are significant to researchers, teachers and decision-makers interested in furthering human rights and international understanding through education.

In this study, we analyse 126 secondary pupils’ responses to national test questions designed to make them think and care about the history of national minorities in Sweden. Using a mixed method approach we find that historical thinking and empathy as caring are tightly interlinked in the responses. In particular, the cognitive act of corroborating historical sources about the treatment of minorities is linked to historical empathy as caring – while sourcing seems like a separate process. We also find that pupils struggle to link the past to the present and the future more than they do with sourcing and corroboration. Engaging with the past of discrimination of minorities makes pupils take critical positions beyond established dimensions of historical thinking. Our findings highlight how we need to better understand how to scaffold pupils’ practical knowledge, skills and attitudes in ideologically and emotionally charged issues.

Building on theories of historical justice, reconciliation and transformative change, this article investigates how 293 secondary school students make sense of the difficult past, present and future of the Romani in a national history test. Using qualitative and quantitative text analysis, this study seeks to explore whom students foreground as agents of change in regards to the Roma past, present and future. Considering the past and looking to the future, the inquiry led students to narrate four scenarios: no change; a regression to a past state of no rights; a development for the better; a future free from oppression. Whilst the students underscored the importance of a shared responsibility for Roma rights in the present and future, they stressed the nation-state as the single most important agent of change for Roma rights in the present and future. Against the backdrop of justice and change, this study argues that whilst students realise and recognize Roma rights through their narrational practices and thus may become empowered to act for a just future, these narratives also re-establish historical cultural and ethnic group boundaries which potentially may disempower young learners.

In light of the desire to right past wrongs regarding Swedish Roma history, research has called for a stronger focus on state redress and the challenges and opportunities of focusing on reconciliation in history education practice. As an answer to that call, this design-based study builds on theories concerning the complexities of teaching and learning about historical justice and difficult histories and investigates how secondary school students make sense of the difficult Swedish Romani history in the Social Studies classroom.  Analysing pre- and post-tests, classroom observations and student exams, the study found that the students were capable of combining historical and practical perspectives in their narrative reconstructions of the Roma past, present and future.  This was mainly done through: critical historical thinking, contextualization, an awareness of different manifestations of antigypsyism in the past and present, and lived experience of antigypsyism, whilst also acknowledging the importance of a shared responsibility for Roma rights in the present and displaying an optimistic view on the Swedish Roma future. Altogether, the results indicate that this approach may foster a nuanced multiperspectival understanding of the past among young learners, informed by both historical and practical perspectives. These findings also shed new light on how we may overcome some of the challenges related to reconciliation in history education.