In 2025, the Finnish annual main event in the field of educational sciences, the FERA Conference on Education (Kasvatustieteen pĂ€ivĂ€t), will be held at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi. The DELIBERATE research group will be responsible for organizing a thematic group focused on democratic education. In line with the general theme of the conference, the group is titled “Future-Proof Democratic Education”. The sessions will be chaired by consortium researchers Hanna-Maija Huhtala, Julia Jaakkola, and Tuukka Tomperi.
Presentations for the thematic group can be submitted in Finnish or English. More information about abstract submission is available on the event website:
This thematic group addresses current challenges in democratic education/education for democracy from philosophical, pedagogical, and empirical perspectives. Democratic education aims to support commitment to a democratic way of life and to strengthen learnersâ capacities to participate in decision-making and societal dialogue. However, researchers and educators in democratic education, like other promoters of democracy, are facing new problems: the future of democracy appears highly uncertain, and the previously assumed global progress toward liberal democracy has not continued victoriously. Around the world, there are examples of regression toward authoritarianism, and even seemingly established and stable democratic systems are faltering. According to indices measuring the state of democracy worldwide, global decline has continued for two decades (Economist 2025; IDEA 2025; V-Dem 2025).
Authoritarian populism also undermines the conditions for a rational and knowledge-based culture of discussion. Affective polarization has intensified, and the political climate in many countries has become inflamed. This has occurred simultaneously with large-scale challenges such as climate change, technological development, increasing migration and displacement, new and ongoing military conflicts, and other similar issues that urgently require cooperation and democratic solutions that citizens perceive as legitimate.
In this situation, education plays a central role in building a more democratic future. What must and what can realistically be done in democratic education to promote democracy? And what kind of education for democracy is sustainable from a long-term, future-oriented perspective? Presentations submitted to the thematic group on future-proof democratic education may address, for example, the philosophical foundations of democratic education, current practices in teaching, pedagogy and curriculum, or the challenges posed by the political culture and climate of discussion.
Researchers from the DELIBERATE consortium have published texts and appeared in scientific and broader public forums on several occasions during the past months. Some of these activities have already been reported in previous blog posts, such as the most recent publication âDemokraattisen harkinnan valmiudet kasvatustieteen tutkimuskohteenaâ â a jointly written project introduction by the consortium researchers in the journal Kasvatus & Aika (vol. 19, issue 2). Below is a brief overview of other spring activities.
Jan Löfströmâs article âJĂ€rjen ja tunteiden vuoropuhelu opetuksessaâ (in English: âExchanges between reason and emotions in teachingâ) was published in the book Erimielisten tila. Vaikeiden aiheiden kĂ€sittely opetuksessa (Room for the dissenting. Dealing with difficult topics in education, edited by M. Puustinen, J. Marjokorpi & J. SĂ€ntti, Gaudeamus 2025). In the article Löfström discusses the role of reason and emotions in the classroom, and how emotions can also be a positive element in dealing with controversial issues in teaching. Emotions are often seen as a risk in that they disrupt rational argumentation, exacerbate disagreement, and generate tensions in the classroom. But issues that trigger emotional response are probably experienced as particularly meaningful by students. It means emotions can stimulate studentsâ motivation in the learning situation. The topics discussed in subjects like social studies are often contentious in society. The dynamics of those tensions can not be understood unless their emotional element is recognised. They may involve moral emotions that connect with values and norms central to peopleâs personal identity. Referring to theories of deliberative democracy, Löfström argues that in education for democratic citizenship it is thus essential to develop studentsâ ability to recognise the role of emotions in how we think and act in issues relating to society and politics. For that purpose emotions can be seen as a valuable resource in the classroom, rather than a risk or a danger.    Â
The article âHabits of Tolerance: the Reformative Power of Pragmatismâ by Katariina Holma and Hanna-Maija Huhtala was published in May 2025 in the journal Educational Theory (https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.70024). In the article, Holma and Huhtala examine tolerance, a key characteristic in contemporary societies. Their study critiques the mainstream concept of tolerance and its educational implications, which rely on problematic dichotomies of reason/emotion and individual/social, leading to a definition of tolerance that entails the suffering of tolerant individuals. Holma and Huhtala propose an approach to education for tolerance based on the epistemological framework of philosophical pragmatism and a pragmatist interpretation of the concept of habit that overcomes the dichotomies of the mainstream account.
Huhtala and Samuel Iinatti published the article âCan regulated (dis)honesty be pedagogically justified in democratic education?âin April in the journal Ethics and Education (https://doi.org/10.1080/17449642.2025.2489915). In the article, Iinatti and Huhtala discuss the virtues of truthfulness and honesty from the perspective of educational responsibility of protecting students and how to better support studentsâ hope for the future and democracy through education. Iinatti and Huhtala suggest that what they call âregulated (dis)honestyâ may be, in some cases, pedagogically and morally justified and beneficial in democratic education for the future of pluralistic democratic societies.
Huhtalaâs essay âKritiikki ja kasvatusfilosofiaâ (âCritique in Educational Philosophyâ) appeared in issue 1/2025 of the philosophical journal niin & nĂ€in. The essay is based on Huhtalaâs keynote lecture delivered at the 2024 Summer Days of the History and Philosophy of Education in Tampere on April 13, 2024. In it, Huhtala examines the role of the critique which is built-in to all science, but present in a special way in philosophy and philosophy of education. Huhtala further addresses the ways in which criticism itself can be critically assessed, and the importance of incorporating emotions and the interconnectedness of people and their environments into the practice of critical thinking.Â
Tuukka Tomperi published two articles on pedagogical philosophizing with children and youth, both focusing on the development and current state of this pedagogical approach in Finland. The article âThe trajectories of pedagogical philosophizing in Finland: overcoming the institutional boundaries between education and philosophyâ, in journal childhood & philosophy vol. 21 (https://doi.org/10.12957/childphilo.2025.89503), describes the emergence of philosophical practices with children and youth in Finland and the evolution of the field over recent decades. Tomperi also examines the challenges of this pedagogy at the intersection of philosophy and education and outlines proposals for its advancement. The article is based on a presentation Tomperi gave at the World Congress of Philosophy in Rome on August 5, 2024. A Finnish-language article co-authored with Emilia Lehtinen, âFilosofoidaan! Filosofian harjoittaminen lasten kanssaâ (âLetâs Philosophize! Practicing Philosophy with Childrenâ), offers a more practical look at philosophical activities with children and recent Finnish examples. It was published in the book Filosofisia kohtaamisia. Ajatuksia filosofisesta praktiikasta (Philosophical Encounters. Reflections on Philosophical Practice, eds. P. Houni, M. Holopainen, K. Kuula & T. Kokkoniemi, EFS 2025), which compiles various forms of implementing, applying and practicing philosophy in everyday life and different professions in Finland. In January, Tomperi and Anna Veijola also published the article âKriittisyys ja kriittinen ajattelun lukion opetussuunnitelman perusteissaâ (âCriticality and Critical Thinking in the Finnish Upper Secondary School Core Curriculumâ) in Kasvatus journal, issue 1/2025 (https://doi.org/10.33348/kvt.145704). The current Finnish upper secondary curriculum mentions âcriticalityâ and âcritical thinkingâ over a hundred times as goals or starting points for education, but the concepts are not defined, leading to varying interpretations. Tomperi and Veijola analyze how these terms are used in the document in relation to traditions of critical thinking theory. They recommend that such frequently used and important concepts should be clearly defined in the curriculum rather than assumed to be self-evident.
This yearâs Summer Days of the History and Philosophy of Education were held at the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu on June 5â6, 2025. The seminar included a panel discussion on democratic education, organized by researchers Sari HietamĂ€ki, Ville MĂ€ki, and Perttu MĂ€nnistö from the University of JyvĂ€skylĂ€. The idea and starting point for the panel was the article âDemokraattisten juurten kasvattaminenâ (âGrowing Democratic Rootsâ) by Tomperi and Nelli Piattoeva, published twenty years ago in the book Kenen kasvatus? Kriittinen pedagogiikka ja toisinkasvatuksen mahdollisuus (Whose Education? Critical Pedagogy and the Possibilities of Educating Otherwise, Vastapaino 2005) and referred to by the organizers as a âclassic of Finnish democratic educationâ. Tomperi was invited as one of the panelists, alongside masterâs student Emma Kola, postdoctoral researcher Antti Moilanen, and democracy education expert Mikko Tujula from the Finnish Parliament. The panel concluded that while much has changed, many challenges and issues in democratic education remain surprisingly similar to those of 20 years ago â and the need for democratic education has only increased.
Panelists (from left) Antti Moilanen, Emma Kola, Mikko Tujula and Tuukka Tomperi. In the background panel chairs Sari HietamÀki and Ville MÀki.
In June, Tomperi and his Swedish colleague, doctoral researcher Isabella Varricchio from Stockholm University, organized a two-day event titled Finnish-Swedish Conference on Pedagogy and Didactics of Philosophyon June 12â13 at the House of Science and Letters in Helsinki. The seminar featured five Finnish, two Swedish, and one Icelandic presentation. Around twenty participants â mainly Finnish teachers and researchers â engaged in very lively discussions about teaching philosophy as a school subject and the broader pedagogical potential of philosophy. The event received funding from the Finnish-Swedish Cultural Foundation (Kulturfonden för Sverige och Finland) and marked the first step toward establishing a Nordic Network for Pedagogy and Didactics of Philosophy.
Seminar organizers Isabella Varricchio and Tuukka Tomperi.
In April, Tomperi and Professor of Adult Education Juha Suoranta were interviewed by Brazilian journalist Tiago Vechi for Canal do Educador, an online media outlet for teachers and educational institutions in Brazil. The topic was the reception and influence of educational theorist Paulo Freire in Finland and the Nordic countries: âPaulo Freire na FinlĂąndia? Conheça a influĂȘncia do pensador brasileiro em terras nĂłrdicasâ. Additionally, Tomperi appeared as the first guest on the new podcast TervettĂ€ skeptisyyttĂ€ by well-known science communicator and social media influencer Pauli Ohukainen. The nearly four-hour-long discussion on the topic âWhat is Critical Thinking?â is available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube, and it has been listened to around 2,000 times altogether so far.
The latest issue (2/2025) of Kasvatus & Aika has just been published and includes an article introducing the Deliberate project, written by researchers from the consortium. The article (in Finnish) outlines the projectâs background and objectives, as well as the main plans for research and interaction.
Juuri ilmestyneessÀ uusimmassa Kasvatus & Aika -lehden numerossa 2/2025 julkaistiin konsortion tutkijoiden kirjoittama Deliberate-hankkeen esittely. SuomenkielisessÀ kirjoituksessa kuvataan hankkeen lÀhtökohdat ja tavoitteet sekÀ tutkimuksen ja vuorovaikutuksen pÀÀsuunnitelmat.
10.00-10.30 Coffee and opening words. Tuukka Tomperi and Isabella Varricchio. Jaakko Lindfors (Finnish National Agency for Education): Welcome Address from EDUFI
10.30-12.00 Presentations and discussions Isabella Varricchio (Stockholm University): The role and significance of philosophy in meeting society in upper secondary school â philosophy subject curricula in the Nordics
Eero Salmenkivi (University of Helsinki & Finnish Matriculation Examination Board): The Curriculum and Matriculation Examination of Philosophy in Finland: Current Overview
12.00-13.00 Lunch break (Free buffet for all participants at the House of Science.)
13.00-14.30 Presentations and discussions Ylva Backman & Anders Franklin (LuleÄ University of Technology), online: Preliminary Results from a Research Project about Philosophical Dialogues with Pupils with Intellectual Disabilities
Eena HÀmÀlÀinen (Tampere University & Tampere Arts-Oriented Senior Secondary School): Common Ethics in School as an Educational Challenge: A Hundred Year Perspective from Finland
Programme Friday 13th of June
10.00-10.30 Coffee
10.30-12.00 Presentations and discussions Eelis Mikkola & Mika PerÀlÀ & Arto Kallioniemi (University of Helsinki; University of Cambridge): Adapting Philosophy for Children for Finnish Upper Secondary Schools: A Comparative Analysis of Philosophy, Religious Education, and Culture, Worldviews and Ethics
JĂłhann Björnsson (Reykjavik University): Reflections from the Field: Teaching Philosophy Through Dialogue in Compulsory Education â A Teacherâs Perspective
12.00-13.00 Lunch break (Free buffet for all participants at the House of Science.)
13.00-14.30 Presentations and discussions Olle Uppenberg (Philosophie Doctor, Independent researcher), online: Student Relativism and Equality
Tuukka Tomperi (Tampere University): Bridging Pedagogical Philosophizing with Children & Didactics of School Philosophy
14.30-14.45 Closing Discussion & Presentation of the Nordic Network for Pedagogy and Didactics of Philosophy
14.45 Ending the meeting & Coffee
Participation is free of charge, but we kindly ask you to inform of your intention to attend, so we can estimate the number of participants / Seminaari on ilmainen, mutta pyydÀmme osallistujamÀÀrÀn arvioimiseksi ilmoittautumaan ennakkoon lomakkeella viimeistÀÀn ma 9.6.: https://forms.office.com/e/aqssXt3xXw
The DELIBERATE consortium met with researchers from the DEMOED group at the University of Oulu in a joint workshop on April 4, 2025. The consortium was invited to Oulu and the arrangements were overseen by Katariina Holma, who is the leader of both our consortium and the DEMOED group, and Hanna-Maija Huhtala, who is a DELIBERATE researcher for the Oulu theoretical sub-project.
During the meeting, seven different research projects were presented. Julia Jaakkola introduced the latest plans for the empirical sub-project’s questionnaire, which aims to collect nationwide survey data from Finnish teachers. A particular challenge in designing the survey is how to capture with questionnaire items teachers’ perceptions of teaching deliberative practices and competencies. Jaakkola presented a new set of questions she had developed to operationalize this theme in the survey, and a productive discussion ensued.
Tuukka Tomperi, on the other hand, outlined the research plans for the pedagogical sub-project for the current year, focusing on classroom practices through case studies of teaching experiments and teacher interviews. One aim is to map students’ experiences of barriers and difficulties in participating in discussions and, secondly, to investigate teachers’ experiences of using the television series Moraalimittari (“Morality Meter”) as a stimulus and guide for deliberative classroom discussions.
From the DEMOED group, we heard about the latest projects and publications from Veli-Mikko Kauppi, Henri Huttunen, and Samuel Iinatti. Additionally, we were introduced to the research interests of Tuija Kasa and Anniina LeiviskÀ, although they were unable to attend in person. The lively discussions during the meeting made it clear that the DEMOED group and the DELIBERATE consortium share many common research interests related to democratic education.
Inspired by the workshop, we plan to continue our collaboration closely in the future. As a concrete form of cooperation, the groups are planning to organize joint conference sessions and seminars during 2025, including at the FERA Conference on Education 2025 (Kasvatustieteen pÀivÀt), the main Finnish annual congress for educational research, which will be held in November at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi. Moreover, on June 11.-12. 2026, the groups will co-organize an international conference in Oulu, where the distinguished senior philosopher of education, Nick Burbules, has agreed to be a keynote speaker. To foster positive synergy, this conference will be held together with the annual meeting of the Finnish Society for History and Philosophy of Education. Stay tuned for more information!
The work of the development group set up by the Finnish National Agency for Education to formulate suggestions for reforming religious, worldview and ethics education (in Finnish “katsomusaineet”) has been completed and final report was published on March 5th. The development group consisted of experts in education, educational organisations and religious, worldview and ethics subjects. DELIBERATE researcher Tuukka Tomperi participated in the work that began at the end of 2022 and concluded at the end of 2024. During this time, the group met 21 times and heard a wide range of other experts and stakeholders. The group produced proposals for reforming the teaching of religious and worldview subjects in basic and upper secondary education. Most of the proposals would require impact assessments and legislative changes.
The group’s work was based on a previous report by investigators on the current state and development needs of worldview education. The report, published by the Ministry of Education and Culture in the spring of 2022, also proposed the establishment of this development group. The authors of the report, Eero Salmenkivi and Vesa Ă hs, worked as permanent experts in the group.
The task of the development group was to outline short- and long-term development measures and to make implementation proposals for the next Finnish government programme. The proposals made by the development group are suggestions on which the reform of worldview education can be based. The Finnish National Agency for Education does not make legislative changes; these are the responsibility of the ministries, the government, and the parliament. Follow-up measures requiring legislative changes and curriculum reform are in the hands of political decision-makers.
The current model of worldview education and the underlying legislation are complex. It also includes significant equality issues, as noted both previously in the investigators report (2022) and now in the development group’s report. The current model treats members of different religious communities and those not belonging to any unequally in terms of subject choices. The development group paid particular attention to these equality issues. In this regard, the group made especially two specific reform proposals: The clear majority of the development group proposes that to correct inequality, the legislation should be amended to open the choice of subjects to students in upper secondary education; it is also proposed that an exam in Islamic religion be added to the matriculation examination, which has not been available before.
The two most important proposals for further research and didactic and curricular subject development needs are as follows: Establishing a working group to outline pedagogical and didactic solutions for the development of religious and worldview education, as well as possible common models, forms, and contents for teaching worldview subjects; Implementing a research-based teaching experiment on partially integrated worldview education in basic education.
At the beginning of 2025, university researcher Tuukka Tomperi from the DELIBERATE Consortium (together with writer and teacher Severi HĂ€mĂ€ri, who served as the courseâs online moderator) created an online course “Using debate to build critical thinking and communication skills” for the European School Education Platform (EU Academy, European Commission). The course was directed for teachersâ continuing education and provided teachers with a thorough introduction to applying debate as an approach that develops critical thinking and argumentative discussion skills.
In educational settings, debates serve as a way of learning dispositions of questioning and inquiry, research skills, content knowledge, and critical thinking. They motivate students and make learning holistic and interactive in a practical way. Thinking, public speaking and argumentation skills â justifying claims and evaluating reasons â are needed throughout society: in everyday life, the workplace, politics, courtrooms, scientific research, and personal decision-making in existential life choices.
Debates are sometimes perceived as nothing but competitive games focused, regardless of the truthfulness of the claims defended, on defeating the opponent for the amusement of the audience. Once discussion, dialogue, and debate, however, were the core of the intellectual practices of the great Greek philosophers. When implemented in a pedagogically well considered and balanced manner, practicing debating teaches essential deliberative skills and dispositions.
As we live in a media culture and digital media environment, we are constantly targeted by persuasive attempts. Critical thinking, the evaluation of reasons, and the analysis of arguments have become essential civic skills. Pedagogical debate is an effective way to support these skills. Debating should be an integral part of democratic education. Tomperi has previously used debating in his own teaching and written and lectured on using debate as a pedagogical approach: see, for instance, the book VÀittely opetusmenetelmÀnÀ (in Finnish), and the more recent article Debate as a Pedagogical Practice: A Case Study from Finland on Teaching International Law.
Doctoral researcher Julia Jaakkola and professor Jan Löfström attended the Annual Symposium of Subject Didactics organized by The Finnish Association for Subject Didactic Research on Friday 14th of February, 2025. The topic of Julia’s presentation was about her doctoral research with the title âDeliberative democratic education in Finnish schools: Teachersâ conceptions and experiencesâ. Professor Jan Löfström, who leads the Turku subproject, also gave a presentation at the seminar discussing middle school history teaching.
Juliaâs doctoral research focuses on Finnish teachersâ conceptions of deliberative practices in the classroom and school community, how teachers implement them in everyday school life and how teachersâ background factors and their societal values and attitudes may influence their teaching practices. The aim is also to create a relevant way of measuring deliberative practices quantitatively in a survey form as this has not been done before in the Finnish context.
Participants of the Symposium consisted of researchers and teachers in subject didactics and educational sciences. Juliaâs and Janâs presentations were part of the theme group on history and social science didactics. Seminar participants and audience offered valuable comments and discussion on deliberative education from the point of view of history and social sciences teaching.
From left: University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu Campus; Julia Jaakkola presenting her abstract in the Symposium.
The Research Council of Finland funded research consortium âDELIBERATE: Education for deliberation: Practices of inquiry in dialogue-based democratic educationâ was launched Sep 1st 2024. DELIBERATE seeks a novel understanding of the practice of deliberation in democratic education with three sub-projects focused on philosophical, empirical and pedagogical questions of dialogue-based democratic education.
The project team consists of six members from three universities: professor Katariina Holma (consortium leader) and postdoctoral researcher Hanna-Maija Huhtala at the University of Oulu, professor Jan Löfström and doctoral researcher Julia Jaakkola at the University of Turku, and professor emeritus Veli-Matti VÀrri and university researcher Tuukka Tomperi at the Tampere University.
The project team is pleased to have a distinguished group of international collaborators supporting our work: Nicholas C. Burbules, Professor in the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and the editor-in-chief of Educational Theory; Silvia Edling, Professor of Curriculum Theory at the University of GÀvle; Andrea R. English, Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor at the Moray House School of Education, The University of Edinburgh, and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy; Maughn Gregory, Professor of Educational Foundations at Montclair State University (USA), and successor of Matthew Lipman as the director of the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children (IAPC); Walter Kohan, Professor of Philosophy of Education and the Director of the Center of Studies in Philosophy and Childhood at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, and co-editor of the journal Childhood & Philosophy; and Dina Mendonça, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy of the Nova University of Lisbon (IFILNOVA) and coordinator of the research group on Philosophy and Argumentation in Society (PAIS).
The consortium team held one-day workshops at the House of Science and Letters in Helsinki on Sep 6th and at the Tampere University on Oct 31st, for planning the implementation and tuning the sub-projects.
The consortium held a semi-public kick-off workshop at the University of Turku on Nov 20th, on the pre-seminar day of the Finnish Educational Research Association (FERA) Conference of Education 2024, with participation of two European collaborators, Professor Andrea English and Professor Silvia Edling, and with invited guests from Finnish universities.
DELIBERATE group with collaborators and guests in Turku on 20th November. From left: Katariina Holma, Andrea English, Hanna-Maija Huhtala, Henri Huttunen, Iines Leinonen, Julia Jaakkola (in front), Silvia Edling, Tarna Kannisto, Riku VÀlitalo, Jan Löfström (in front), and Tuukka Tomperi (through window reflection, taking picture).
The Research Council of Finland funded research consortium âDELIBERATE: Education for deliberation: Practices of inquiry in dialogue-based democratic educationâ was launched Sep 1st 2024. DELIBERATE seeks a novel understanding of the practice of deliberation in democratic education with three sub-projects focused on philosophical, empirical and pedagogical questions of dialogue-based democratic education.Â
The project team consists of six members from three universities: professor Katariina Holma (consortium leader) and postdoctoral researcher Hanna-Maija Huhtala at the University of Oulu, professor Jan Löfström and doctoral researcher Julia Jaakkola at the University of Turku, and professor emeritus Veli-Matti VÀrri and university researcher Tuukka Tomperi at the Tampere University. ...
