Freedom of speech as a concept is both highly topical regarding its philosophical significance and practical application in a democratic society. The focus of this study has concerned the shaping of freedom of speech in social studies teaching, in particular how social studies teachers both reason and experience the shaping of freedom of speech in teaching and classrooms. What measures and strategies they use to both shape and promote freedom of expression in the classroom, as well as what possible limitations and opportunities there may be in this procedure. This has been done with the use of interviews with four social studies teachers who are active in both upper and lower secondary education. A deductive approach has been used in this study, with the application of two theoretical models: deliberative democracy and agonistic pluralism. What the results showed was that there were both similarities and differences in the teachers' reasoning and experiences regarding the implementation of freedom of expression in social studies teaching. Student groups and subject matter were some decisive factors in how discussions and conversations were used in teaching and classrooms. In relation to the two theories, there was a mixture of both perspectives in the teachers' reasoning and approach. The teachers' approach was more agonistic, while their use of measures had more deliberative elements. 

Overall, this study showed the complexity of the teachers' design of freedom of speech in social studies teaching. That certain restrictions on certain expressions in classroom must be applied in relation to the school's governing document and foundation of values, as well as finding a balance between open and interesting discussions with time-limited subject teaching.