TWO MODELS FOR THE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL SECURITY: SWEDEN’S TRYGGHET AND JAPAN’S AMAE

Abstract

Pedagogical terminology is often instinctively associated with encyclopedic precision or philosophical depth. However, this tradition
does not universally shape all languages — Swedish and Japanese, for example, present compelling alternatives. In Sweden, comprehensive educational encyclopedias are relatively uncommon. Many terms central to pedagogical discourse emerge not from philosophical inquiry, but from domains such as social engineering, legal structures, and everyday vernacular. Similarly, the Japanese language encompasses numerous expressions that potentially convey fundamentally philosophical or socio-psychological ideas, although these are seldom reflected upon as such. This encyclopedic inquiry seeks to foreground the Swedish concept of trygghet
and the Japanese notion of amae as vital components in a framework for conceptual analysis and comparative encyclopedic studies in education. By offering a conceptual grounding, we aim to support more nuanced and context-sensitive empirical research. Both trygghet and amae function as foundational pillars in pedagogical theory and practice: they are, on one hand, deeply embedded in cultural norms of relational interdependence, and on the other, possess a latent capacity to shape collective identity