Equality work in teacher education in Finland

Abstract

Equality work is often conducted as education and teaching, and both are an intrinsic part of equality work. In this article, we focus on equality work and challenging heteronormativity by contextualising our focus both on the educational system as a whole but especially on teacher education. The promotion of equality in teacher education began in Finland in the 1980s with nationwide experimental projects, and Finnish universities undertook active efforts to promote equality in the 1990s as a result of the strengthening of women’s studies and discussions on gender equality. We show what kind of persistent problems promoting equality and challenging heteronormativity in education in Finland faces, but we also indicate how it is possible to promote equality and challenge heteronormativity by focusing on teacher education. This article is based on student teachers’ essays (N = 51) written as a part of their study in a course on social justice. The essays were analysed based on a discursive reading of the data.