The ideal of zero tolerance against racism in Norwegian upper secondary schools: an identification of factors which drive school staff's work
In 2017, the Norwegian Education Act was revised. Among the most debated additions was paragraph 9A which requires schools to have zero tolerance against all forms of degrading treatment. The revision was intended to improve students’ psychosocial environment and learning. Still, recent surveys show that the number of students who are bullied is increasing (Norwegian Directorate of Education and Training, 2024). Moreover, a new survey shows that 45 percent of the responding children and youth have been subjected to racism in the last year (Bufdir, 2024). In this and other reports (NCAR, 2017; UNICEF, 2022) schools are identified by children and youth as one of the arenas where they experience most racism. Many children and youth also report that support from school staff is lacking or limited (Bufdir, 2024).
In my doctoral project, I investigate the work school staff in Norwegian upper secondary schools do when they witness, are told or suspect that students are subjected to racism. Drawing on interview material produced as part of this project, this presentation identifies factors which affect how school staff interpret and do zero tolerance, specifically in response to racism. In the first part of the presentation, I argue that the participants’ enactment of zero tolerance appears to require clear-cut cases of racism where one or a few students target the phenotypical, religious, or other visible markers of another student. Then, I analyze the impact of ambivalence on enactment of zero tolerance. Lastly, I argue that processes of juridification and marketization drive individualized understanding and response to racism in the education context and that systemic changes are needed to combat racism in and through schools.
Om Christine: Christine Lillethun Norheim er utdannet samfunnsfags- og engelsklærer og jobber nå som doktorgradsstipendiat på MF vitenskapelig høyskole for teologi, religion og samfunn. Prosjektet handler om arbeidet ansatte i videregående skole gjør når de ser, blir fortalt eller får mistanke om at elever utsettes for rasisme. Christine har gjort et lengre feltarbeid med to skoler og er inspirert av Institusjonell Etnografi og standpunktteorien som utvikles der.
Varmt välkomna, hälsar
Ordförande Andreas Ottemo, sekreterare Ammar Syed
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