Global Knowledge Rituals : United Nations Day and the Global Fifties
Lundberg, Björn LU
(2025)
In Journal for the History of Knowledge
6.
- Abstract
- This study investigates the establishment and significance of United Nations (UN) Day, October 24, in Swedish primary and secondary schools from 1948 to 1963.This article conceptualizes the celebrations as knowledge rituals, educative events that foreground practices of knowledge-sharing, reinforcing social bonds and enhancing collective understanding. UN Day knowledge rituals combined ceremonial elements—such as songs, recitals, and flag ceremonies—with the sharing of knowledge about global issues. The investigation shows that celebrations became widespread in Sweden during the 1950s, and that the United Nations Association of Sweden played a pivotal role in the process of establishing UN Day as a knowledge ritual. Initially highlighting... (More)
- This study investigates the establishment and significance of United Nations (UN) Day, October 24, in Swedish primary and secondary schools from 1948 to 1963.This article conceptualizes the celebrations as knowledge rituals, educative events that foreground practices of knowledge-sharing, reinforcing social bonds and enhancing collective understanding. UN Day knowledge rituals combined ceremonial elements—such as songs, recitals, and flag ceremonies—with the sharing of knowledge about global issues. The investigation shows that celebrations became widespread in Sweden during the 1950s, and that the United Nations Association of Sweden played a pivotal role in the process of establishing UN Day as a knowledge ritual. Initially highlighting UN peacekeeping activities, the scope of UN Day celebrations broadened during the 1950sto address complex global issues such as poverty, education, and health. Knowledge about global problems was given particular attention during UN Day displays. Afterthe death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in 1961, his legacy became central to UN Day commemorations in Sweden, further strengthening interest in UN initiatives. The results of this study put the prevailing notion of the 1960s as a period of global awakening into perspective, emphasizing the importance of the preceding “Global Fifties” in Swedish education. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- AbstractThis study investigates the establishment and significance of United Nations (UN) Day, October 24, in Swedish primary and secondary schools from 1948 to 1963. This article conceptualizes the celebrations as knowledge rituals, educative events that foreground practices of knowledge-sharing, reinforcing social bonds and enhancing collective understanding. UN Day knowledge rituals combined ceremonial elements—such as songs, recitals, and flag ceremonies—with the sharing of knowledge about global issues. The investigation shows that celebrations became widespread in Sweden during the 1950s, and that the United Nations Association of Sweden played a pivotal role in the process of establishing UN Day as a knowledge ritual. Initially... (More)
- AbstractThis study investigates the establishment and significance of United Nations (UN) Day, October 24, in Swedish primary and secondary schools from 1948 to 1963. This article conceptualizes the celebrations as knowledge rituals, educative events that foreground practices of knowledge-sharing, reinforcing social bonds and enhancing collective understanding. UN Day knowledge rituals combined ceremonial elements—such as songs, recitals, and flag ceremonies—with the sharing of knowledge about global issues. The investigation shows that celebrations became widespread in Sweden during the 1950s, and that the United Nations Association of Sweden played a pivotal role in the process of establishing UN Day as a knowledge ritual. Initially highlighting UN peacekeeping activities, the scope of UN Day celebrations broadened during the 1950s to address complex global issues such as poverty, education, and health. Knowledge about global problems was given particular attention during UN Day displays. After the death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in 1961, his legacy became central to UN Day commemorations in Sweden, further strengthening interest in UN initiatives. The results of this study puts the prevailing notion of the 1960s as a period of global awakening into perspective, emphasizing the importance of the preceding “Global Fifties” in Swedish education. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2b039913-cd7b-4475-afac-a263b1ef6b33
- author
- Lundberg, Björn
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-07-11
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- FN-dagen, Dag Hammarskjöld, Svenska FN-förbundet, united Nations, UN Day, Peace education, global citizenship, Internationalism
- in
- Journal for the History of Knowledge
- volume
- 6
- pages
- 24 pages
- publisher
- Ubiquity Press Ltd.
- ISSN
- 2632-282X
- DOI
- 10.55283/jhk.18135
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2b039913-cd7b-4475-afac-a263b1ef6b33
- date added to LUP
- 2025-03-24 11:29:06
- date last changed
- 2025-07-14 09:07:02
@article{2b039913-cd7b-4475-afac-a263b1ef6b33,
abstract = {{This study investigates the establishment and significance of United Nations (UN) Day, October 24, in Swedish primary and secondary schools from 1948 to 1963.This article conceptualizes the celebrations as knowledge rituals, educative events that foreground practices of knowledge-sharing, reinforcing social bonds and enhancing collective understanding. UN Day knowledge rituals combined ceremonial elements—such as songs, recitals, and flag ceremonies—with the sharing of knowledge about global issues. The investigation shows that celebrations became widespread in Sweden during the 1950s, and that the United Nations Association of Sweden played a pivotal role in the process of establishing UN Day as a knowledge ritual. Initially highlighting UN peacekeeping activities, the scope of UN Day celebrations broadened during the 1950sto address complex global issues such as poverty, education, and health. Knowledge about global problems was given particular attention during UN Day displays. Afterthe death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in 1961, his legacy became central to UN Day commemorations in Sweden, further strengthening interest in UN initiatives. The results of this study put the prevailing notion of the 1960s as a period of global awakening into perspective, emphasizing the importance of the preceding “Global Fifties” in Swedish education.}},
author = {{Lundberg, Björn}},
issn = {{2632-282X}},
keywords = {{FN-dagen; Dag Hammarskjöld; Svenska FN-förbundet; united Nations; UN Day; Peace education; global citizenship; Internationalism}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{07}},
publisher = {{Ubiquity Press Ltd.}},
series = {{Journal for the History of Knowledge}},
title = {{Global Knowledge Rituals : United Nations Day and the Global Fifties}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.55283/jhk.18135}},
doi = {{10.55283/jhk.18135}},
volume = {{6}},
year = {{2025}},
}