Education policy as normative discourse and negotiated meanings: Engaging the Holocaust in Estonia

This article uses a socio-cultural approach to analyze the formation and implementation of estonia's holocaust day policy,a day of both commemoration for victims of the holocaust and other crimes against humanity,and education about the holocaust. it investigates both the multi-level development of the policy in light of external pressure (from foreign advocates and transnational groups including nato and the council of europe) and the ways in which policy as normative discourse was constructed and its meanings negotiated between international sources,the national government,and educators. it draws attention to the multifaceted nature of discourse in a post-authoritarian context where power disparities further complicate an already complex trans-national policy environment. © 2010 unesco ibe.