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Erik Lundberg
SVEN
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Book

Mechanisms of tolerance: an anthology

2017Lundberg, E. (red.)Stockholm: Forum för levande historia

What is this study about?

The anthology brings together research on how tolerance develops and on the factors that can contribute to tolerance or intolerance. With contributions from researchers across several fields, tolerance is treated as a central democratic issue and as something shaped through the interplay between individual characteristics and social contexts. Particular attention is paid to the adolescent years and the significance of, among other things, school, associational life, social relationships and other settings where young people encounter people and perspectives that differ from their own.

What did we find?

The anthology shows that tolerance has no single explanation and is not an unchanging individual trait. It is shaped through a complex interplay between personal circumstances, social experiences and the environments in which people find themselves. At the same time, the research shows that participation in, for example, school and associational life does not automatically create tolerance. The experiences and encounters these settings offer are decisive for how tolerance develops.

Why does it matter?

Tolerance is a fundamental democratic issue because democracy presupposes that people can live together despite differences in opinions, identities and lifestyles. The anthology shows why it is not enough to state that tolerance is desirable – we also need to understand which mechanisms actually promote or hinder tolerance. That knowledge is important for, among others, schools, civil society organisations and public institutions working with democracy, inclusion and social cohesion.

Citation

Lundberg, E. (red.) (2017) Mechanisms of tolerance: an anthology. Stockholm: Forum för levande historia

Research area

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