Moving in liminal space: A case study of intercultural historical learning in Swedish secondary school

The aim of this article is to explore the processes learning when students are engaged in intercultural historical (IHL), specifically how spaces were, or were not, opened by students’ struggle construct meaning. Since IHL complex, involving both intrinsic disciplinary and extrinsic curricular goals, it vital understand process detail. research questions address which aspects seem activate learning, ones hinder complicate it. methodological approach employed was an instrumental, multisite case study where three teaching–learning sequences from two secondary classrooms investigated. Here, concepts ‘decentring’ ‘perspective recognition’, as IHL, seen threshold concepts. framework – idea ‘liminal space’, a ‘place potential learning’, in-between moments find themselves before ‘getting it’ applied analytical tool uncover describe specific selected sequences. Several liminal unpacked, transpired that ‘troublesomeness’ integral, potentially productive component navigate space place for learning. ‘Barriers’ obstructed well possible ‘entry points’ student steps into space, identified, some major enabling breakthrough ‘junctures’ IHL.