Young children`s notions of politics – empirical findings from investigations of the youngest children in the Norwegian Primary School

Political understanding begins in early childhood, with the first years of schooling establishing an important context for political learning (Abendschön, 2017; Greenstein, 1965). Therefore, the education that children receive during these years of schooling is potentially of great importance for their subsequent political orientation and knowledge. Despite this, the political education of young children is neglected in the Norwegian research context (Børhaug, 2017). This study seeks to be a contribution to the political education of the youngest pupils, by examining young children`s notions of politics. Children in the twenty-first century are concerned with the society around them. The global campaign for climate is a good example of that. Social- and political issues surrounding young children affects and moves them, but apart from being affected, how do young children perceive and understand the “political world” and different political aspects? This study explores how 600 young children (age 6-10 years) in second and fourth grade in the Norwegian Primary School perceive and interpret political and societal issues. By using children`s drawings and group conversations, children`s perceptions/notions of politics, i.e. of different political issues, politicians, political institutions, but also, and perhaps more importantly, their perceptions of different aspects of the political (e.g. of democracy, freedom of expression, representativeness, etc.) is investigated. The paper presents the empirical findings of the study (to be conducted spring 2021) and looks at similarities and differences among 2nd and 4th grade pupils. Relevant questions in relation to this is; does children’s notions of politics vary according to age? In case, how? What is their notion of politics when they begin Primary School, and what does this look like at the end of Primary School? What does this mean for school and it`s role in political education of children? How is drawings and groups conversations suited to explore children`s notions of politics? How to interpret “the political” in this context? All of these are interesting questions to discuss in relation to the empirical findings of this study. At present time, it is not possible to give a clearer description of the paper`s content, but the empirical findings from the present study will be presented according to one or more of these questions.