Dannelseshistorie

Dannelseshistorie is a term used in Danish humanities to describe the historical study of Bildung‑like processes—the formation of persons and publics through education, culture, and social practice. The field investigates how knowledge, values, skills, and identities are produced, transmitted and transformed across time, and how institutions, communities and discourses contribute to individual and collective formation.

Rooted in the broader German concept of Bildung, the Danish approach emphasizes long-term processes that connect early modern schooling, religious instruction, and civic culture to modern mass education and lifelong learning. Researchers examine curricula, pedagogical ideals, literary culture, media, and everyday life as mechanisms of formation, as well as tensions between personal autonomy and social integration.

In Denmark, the study of formation is closely associated with the Grundtvigian tradition and the folk high school movement of the 19th century, which linked education to democracy, national identity, and cultural renewal. Subsequent developments include the expansion of compulsory schooling, the growth of higher education, and state-driven programs aimed at cultural and civic formation. The history of formation thus intersects with policy debates on education, religion, gender, and immigration.

Scholars in this field use interdisciplinary methods from cultural history, education history, sociology, and gender studies, drawing on sources such as curricula, parliamentary debates, literature, periodicals and personal archives. The aim is to understand how historical formations shape citizens’ capacities and belonging, and how education systems both reflect and drive social change.