Abstract:

For more than 50 years, social psychologist and sociologists have studied equality in schools and have tried to respond to issues that are still challenging nowadays (Behtoui & Neergaard, 2016). Coleman (1966, 1975, 1987; Jackson, Johnson, & Persico, 2016) has looked into the correlation of specific key factors such as the relationship between family background and student achievements. During the same period, scholars understood that ecological systems should be taken into account when changing policies. In order to do so, it is mandatory to involve both schools and families (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). In 1968, Sullivan created specific programmes that mitigated these inequalities. Nodaway, the analysis of the ecological systems is accomplished by inter-connecting policies, cultures and individuals (Antony-Newman, 2016; Grace, Hayes, & Wise, 2017; Joshi & Fitzsimons, 2016). Bourdieu (1972, 1989) developed the concept of “cultural capital” in which the culture of middle-class families, who use their advantage in retaining and improving their position through social class, determine an undeniable painful worldwide reality. Those students who are lacking in cultural capital are devaluated or underestimated within the school system. It is prevalent in specific categories of students who are left behind: the ones that come from working-class backgrounds, minorities or indigenous groups, recent refugees, and those with special educational needs (SEN). All the aforementioned are children who are at risk of social exclusion in the Nordic context. A factor is the choice of school. The Elite segregates those that do not have access to some specific, well funded, prestigious educational facilities, thus schools became a positional good. Equity in education means that students’ socio-economical status and individual characteristics such as disabilities or special educational needs have little impact on how well they learn in school, and it is linked with fairness in resource allocation (Sahlberg, 2016). Inclusion in the Nordic countries (Vislie, 2003) in Finland (Harjunen, Kortelainen, & Saarimaa, 2018), Norway (Garthus-Niegel, Oppedal, & Vike, 2016) and Sweden (Vuorsola, 2019) are experiencing a great dilemma due to the construction of polarizing ways to manage discrimination or achieve inclusion. Therefore, our analysis focuses on the human resources, structure and culture that mirrors their plans, policies and practices in the Nordic context.

Keywords:

Nordic countries, inequality, social exclusion, disabilities, migration, inclusive learning.