An Ethnographic Study of Reciprocal Expectations in the School-Home Cooperation with Refugee Parents in a Danish Welfare State Context
Author
Hansson, Mette Dahl
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-05-31
Pages
54
Abstract
Afhandlingen undersøger, hvordan udvekslingspraksisser påvirker samarbejdet mellem skoler og flygtningeforældre i den danske velfærdsstat. Den tager udgangspunkt i Marcel Mauss’ teori om gaven, sociale udvekslinger og gensidige forpligtelser—ideen om, at det at give og modtage skaber forventninger om at give noget tilbage—som analytisk ramme. Studiet forbinder samfundsmæssige dynamikker med hverdagsinteraktioner i skolen gennem to sammenhængende analyser. For det første belyses, hvordan den danske velfærdsstat har næret en forestilling om et homogent nationalt fællesskab—'Danmarks familie'—hvor solidaritet og omfordeling kobles til enshed. I denne ramme opfattes indvandring ofte som en udfordring, og vellykket integration ses som afgørende for at bevare solidariteten og i sidste ende velfærdsstaten. Flygtninge og indvandrere forstås som nytilkomne, der får adgang og sociale ydelser på betingelse af, at de følger reglerne, bidrager (fx gennem arbejde og skat) og tilpasser sig danske normer og værdier. For det andet viser afhandlingen, hvordan disse bredere forventninger reproduceres i skole-hjem-samarbejdet. Sammenkædningen af lighed og enshed samt snævre definitioner af familierelationer og 'godt forældreskab' præger læreres vurderinger af forældres mulighed for at deltage. En deficitlogik kan præge lærernes tilgang: Enten kompenserer de for formodede mangler, eller også forventer de, at forældrene tilpasser deres kultur til danske standarder. Omvendt udtrykker de flygtningeforældre, der indgår i undersøgelsen, primært taknemmelighed og tilfredshed med samarbejdet, ikke mindst fordi deres børn kan gå i skole under trygge forhold; de giver ikke udtryk for utilfredshed med lærernes forventninger. Afhandlingen konkluderer, at lærere i skole-hjem-samarbejdet trækker på en bredere samfundsopfattelse, der gør kulturel assimilation til en legitim forventning, mens forældrene anerkender en underordnet position i mødet med lærerne. I denne sammenhæng fremstår det som den forventede modydelse for uddannelse i Danmark at acceptere danske normer og værdier—at betale en 'kulturel pris'.
This thesis examines how practices of exchange shape collaboration between schools and refugee parents in the Danish welfare state. It uses Marcel Mauss’s theory of the gift, social exchange, and reciprocal obligations—the idea that giving and receiving create expectations to give something in return—as an analytical lens. The study links broad societal dynamics with everyday interactions in schools through two connected analyses. First, it traces how the Danish welfare state has nurtured a vision of a homogeneous national community—'the Family of Denmark'—in which solidarity and redistribution are tied to sameness. Within this frame, immigration is often seen as a challenge, and successful integration is viewed as crucial for maintaining solidarity and, ultimately, the welfare state. Refugees and immigrants are understood as newcomers who receive admission and social benefits on the condition that they obey the rules, contribute (for example by working and paying taxes), and adapt to Danish norms and values. Second, the thesis shows how these wider expectations are reproduced in school–home cooperation. The link between equality and sameness, together with narrow definitions of family relations and 'good parenting,' shapes teachers’ judgments about parents’ ability to participate. A deficit logic can guide teachers’ approaches: they either compensate for perceived shortcomings or expect parents to adjust their culture to Danish standards. By contrast, the refugee parents in this study mainly express gratitude and satisfaction with the cooperation, highlighting that their children can attend school in safety, and they do not voice dissatisfaction with teachers’ expectations. The thesis concludes that, in school–home cooperation with refugee parents, teachers draw on a broader societal view that makes cultural assimilation a legitimate demand, while parents recognize an unequal position vis-à-vis teachers. In this context, accepting Danish norms and values—'paying a cultural price'—is treated as the expected return for education in Denmark.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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