Still Social and Democratic? : Inclusive Education Policies in the Nordic Welfare States

• In this article, education policy is analysed from a welfare state perspective. The aim is to analyse the significance attributed to social-inclusive aspects of education in contemporary education policies of the Nordic countries, and the extent to which education is regarded as an element in welfare policies. Four aspects are addressed: (1) access to education and measures to prevent social exclusion of young people, (2) comprehensiveness of education in terms of public/private, integration/segregation of e.g. minority children and children with special needs, (3) emphasis on democratic values and participation, (4) the importance of community and equality versus a focus on the individual. It is concluded that it is still justified to speak of the five Nordic countries as a rather distinct group. However, social-inclusive policies have also clearly been reformulated and delimited, related to a strengthening of the economic-utilitarian functions of education and a weakening of central education governance.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogiskt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogical Work (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

"Inclusion"

"Education politics"

"Nordic countries"

"Welfare state"

pedagogiskt arbete

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)