Work packages
To respond to the current lack of knowledge and the need to listen to community members, NAMED is organised into four WPs. First, NAMED implements a national survey among mainstream teachers (WP1). Second, the research team follows up with qualitative focus group interviews with parents and pupils belonging to the two national minority communities, respectively (WP2, WP3). WP0 is dedicated to management. The WPs are presented in further detail below.
WP0 focuses on managing the NAMED project and ensuring good collaboration, progress, and responsible use of funding. It organizes regular meetings, seminars, and a final conference, involves key stakeholders, and shares project findings through accessible reports for both practitioners and the wider public.
WP1 focuses on understanding how well teachers in mainstream primary and secondary schools know about Kvens/Norwegian Finns and Forest Finns. It explores what mainstream teachers know about these national minorities’ cultures, languages, and identities, as well as their experiences of teaching about them in the classroom. Previous research shows that knowledge about national minorities is generally limited, and this project examines whether this is also true among mainstream teachers. A nationwide teacher survey will be used to identify key challenges faced by national minority pupils in schools. The results will help shape later interviews with pupils and parents and contribute to research-based recommendations for education.
WP2 explores how Kven/Norwegian Finnish pupils and their parents experience everyday schooling in Norway and what they feel is missing or needs improvement. The work focuses on how Kven/Norwegian Finnish culture, history, and language are taught in mainstream classrooms, and how education can better support pupils’ identities and cultural belonging. Special attention is given to the role of the Kven/Finnish language in cultural revitalisation. Through focus group interviews with pupils and parents, the project gathers in‑depth perspectives that help identify needs and challenges. The findings will inform recommendations for education policy, curriculum development, and teaching practices that strengthen knowledge about Kvens/Norwegian Finns and support their culture and language in schools.
WP3 focuses on how Forest Finnish pupils and their parents experience schooling in Norway and what they need to feel better represented and supported. It explores how Forest Finnish history, culture, identity, and language are presented in mainstream classrooms, especially in light of a growing cultural revitalisation within the community. The project pays particular attention to how Forest Finns themselves wish to representcontemporary culture and to the possible role of the Forest Finnish language in education. Through focus group interviews with pupils and parents, WP3 gathers community perspectives that will inform recommendations for education policy, curriculum development, and teaching approaches that strengthen knowledge about Forest Finns and support their cultural sustainability in schools.