ABSTRACT
This Chapter is written from a country which could not until quite recently call itself multicultural. It is a country with a large area, nearly twice the size of Great Britain, and a small population, only eight million. Fifty years ago, Sweden was an almost monocultural nation. The multicultural situation today is new and challenging. This is described in a Government Bill under the heading ‘Strategies for Education and Research 1995’, which states:
Sweden is today a multicultural society, which must also be reflected within our education. Education at all levels must work together to support and promote cultural identity as well as knowledge of and respect for other cultures. (Swedish Ministry of Education and Science, 1995)
I will try to sketch the context within which intercultural education is to be developed. The description starts with a brief history of immigration to Sweden. The educational system is presented with an emphasis on minority education. Then, teacher education in general and in particular teacher training for minority education and for a multicultural Sweden is described. The Chapter closes with some reflections on problems and challenges related to intercultural issues in Swedish teacher education.
