Course Syllabus

 

Description of Course

Scandinavia is known to be one of the best places for raising children to be competent, independent, democratic, and social beings. In Denmark today, approximately 16.8% of the total Danish population is of another ethnic background than Danish, with the highest representations from Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Syria, Germany, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon[1]. This in many ways mirrors global transformations and instigates the growing multiculturalism in Danish schools and childcare institutions.

Using Nordic childhood as our entry point, this course examines the following questions: Are the long-standing childcare traditions in Denmark being challenged? How are Danish childcare institutions, schools and programs influenced by Danish integration policies? How is multicultural discourse examined in a Danish context? And how are children and families in Denmark influenced by these processes? How do relationships between children, parents, educators and institutions shape children's experiences of education, belonging and everyday life? Through this lens, we will reflect on and investigate complex multicultural processes. We will delve into the concepts of multiculturalism, childhood, inclusive education, intercultural pedagogy, multilingualism, diversity, dual socialization, social entrepreneurship, creativity, and the good childhood, and consider how these ideas intersect within Danish childcare and educational settings. We will also examine how different expectations and values held by children, families, educators, and institutions meet and are negotiated within educational settings.

The course will incorporate theory on culture and cross-cultural competence alongside writings, activities, public debates, and field-based experiences. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own assumptions, ways of knowing, meanings, and perspectives, while considering how these shape their understanding of childhood, education, and multiculturalism. Together, we will examine Scandinavian themes such as the notion of "the good childhood,” the child as "being," the benefits of selected educational and philosophical approaches, networks and systems of support for children of different ethnicities, and the challenges for children from minority and marginalized communities in Denmark and around the globe. Overall, students will acquire knowledge about intercultural learning, critical pedagogy, child development discourse and educational sociology.

 Learning Objectives:

• To describe different traditions in Danish childcare, policy and education with comparisons to traditions in the students’ home countries
• To gain knowledge of children's rights within the context of Denmark and beyond
• To reflect critically on observations in real-life situations in settings for children and families through personal experiences, case studies, field study visits, and course readings
• To enhance knowledge of cross-cultural competence, multilingualism, multiculturalism, social inclusion, and child and youth development
• To question, reflect on and critically analyze multicultural discourse, public debates, and policy in a Danish context, drawing on theoretical perspectives and considering implications for educational practice
• To consider how educational and physical environments influence children's participation, learning, relationships and sense of belonging
• To develop reflective, ethical, critical and analytical skills in presentations and writing.

Faculty

Nura Jahanpour: Ph.D. Candidate in Education, University of Cambridge, ongoing. MPhil. in Education, University of Cambridge, 2019. BMus (with minor in Psychology), Royal Holloway University of London, 2018. Research & Policy Advisor, Cesta Von, 2023-. Transformation Manager, Brilliant Stars International School & NGO, 2018-. Lecturer & Supervisor, University of Cambridge, BISLA Liberal Arts College, and BIHE University, 2021-2025. Project Manager, Petržalka-Bratislava District Office, 2019-2022. Consultant on social-impact projects. With DIS since 2026.

Consultation: Office Hours by appointment

Readings

There is no textbook for the course. Please see the reading list below, and check the Canvas calendar for specific reading deadlines. Note that the reading list is subject to change.

Bame Nsamenang, A. “Cultures in Early Childhood Care and Education.” Childhood Studies and the Impact of Globalization: Policies and Practices at Global and Local Levels. New York: Routledge, 2009. 23-45. Print.

Brostrøm, Stig. (2006) Children’s Perspectives on their Childhood Experiences. In: Nordic Childhood and Early Education.  Age Publishing, pp. 223-255. ISBN: 1593113501. (310p.)

Children's Places of Belonging in Immigrant Families of Caribbean Background. In Children's Places: Cross Cultural Perspectives, Karen Fog Olwig and Eva Gulløv, eds. London: Routledge, forthcoming.

Cohen, Louis, et al. (1994) Chapter 5- Being a Careful Observer. In: Research Methods in Education. Routledge, pp. 94-111. ISBN: 0-415-10235-9. (416p.)

Education of ethnic minority children in Denmark: monocultural hegemony and counter positions, by Christian Horst & Thomas Gitz-Johansen, Intercultural Education, (2010), 21: 2, p. 137-151. (URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14675981003696271)

Gauri, V., Gloppen, S. (2012). Human Rights-Based Approaches to Development: Concepts, Evidence, and Policy. Polity, 44(4), 485-503

Gilliam, Laura (2013): Being a good, relaxed or exaggerated Muslim. Religiosity and masculinity in two Danish Schools, in Making European Muslim : Religious Socialization Among Young Muslims in Scandinavia and Western Europe ed. Mark Sedgwick, Routledge.

Gilroy, Paul (1997) Diaspora and the Detours of Identity in: Woodward, Kathryn (ed.) Identity and Difference. London: Sage Publications

Gulløv, E. and Bundgaard, H.: “Children of Different Categories”. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 32:1, 2006. Pp. 145-155.

Gulløv, Eva. (2004). Creating a Natural Place for Children. In: Children’s Places: Cross-cultural Perspectives. Routledge, pp. 23-38.  ISBN: 978-0-415-29641-0. (264p.)

Jensen, G. J., Torsleve, M. K., Vitus, K., Weibel, K., Integration, Difference and (anti) discrimination in Danish Primary and Lower Education. The Danish National Centre for Social Research, 2012.

Keller, H., Kärtner, J., Borke, J., Yovsi, R., & Kleis, A. (2005). Parenting styles and the development of the categorical self: A longitudinal study on mirror self-recognition in Cameroonian Nso and German families. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 29(6), 496–504. https://doi.org/10.1080/01650250500147485

Le Roux, Johann (2001): Social Dynamics of the Multicultural Classroom, in Intercultural Communication: A Reader, Wadsworth, UK.

MacNaughton, Glenda (2005): Doing Foucault in Early Childhood Studies: Applying post structuralist ideas, Routledge, Oxon. 

Olwig, KF 2011, 'Children's Sociality: The Civilizing Project in the Danish Kindergarten', Social Analysis, vol. 55, nr. 2, s. 121-141. Olwig and Karsten Paerregaard, Cambridge Scholars, UK (Introduction, chapter 7 and epilogue by Jenkins).

Parekh, B. (2000) Rethinking Multiculturalism. Cultural Diversity and Political Theory. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, chapter 5, pp.142-178.  ISBN: 0-333-60882-8 (379p.)

Pinquart, M., & Kauser, R. (2018). Do the associations of parenting styles with behavior problems and academic achievement vary by culture? Results from a meta-analysis. Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology, 24(1), 75–100. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000149

Shonkoff, Jack P. (Editor) 2000; Phillips, Deborah A. (Editor); Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development. From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, DC, USA: National Academies Press, chapter 3.

The Question of Integration: Immigration, Exclusion and the Danish Welfare State (2011), Eds. Karen Fog Olwig and Karsten Paerregaard, Cambridge Scholars, UK (Introduction, chapter 7 and epilogue by Jenkins)

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/crc.pdf

Wagner, J. T. (2006): “Fishing Naked – Nordic Early Childhood Philosophy and Practice” in Nordic Childhoods and Early Education.  Information Age Publishing.  ISBN: 978-1593113506 (324p.)

Field Studies

Field studies serve to complement your course work by placing you in the field to extend and rethink what we read about, discuss in class. Please be ready for each field study by completing all readings and preparing questions in advance.

We may divide the class into smaller groups, each visiting different sites located in the greater Copenhagen area. Please see the calendar for more specific details about the field study visits. 

Guest Lecturers

At certain points in the course, guest lecturers may be invited to provide their experience and expertise on select topics being covered in class.

Approach to Teaching

This course combines lectures, class activities, collaborative work, presentations, fieldwork and experiential learning. You will be expected to complete all reading assignments thoroughly and critically prior to coming to class so that you can contribute to class discussions and group activities. You are also encouraged to bring your own experiences, insights and observations from daily life in Denmark into class, using them to make connections with the theories, perspectives and educational contexts explored throughout the course.

Expectations of the Students

Preparation, attendance, and engagement in classes, field studies, and guest lectures is essential in this course because it shows that you are taking responsibility for your own learning. It also demonstrates that you are keeping up with the readings and understanding the theoretical perspectives and research evidence discussed in class.

It is expected that students:

• Complete readings or other assigned materials prior to each class and prepare questions for discussions where relevant.
• Demonstrate engagement, responsibility, and independence.
• Take an active part in creating a sincere, open, respectful, and encouraging class environment where all members of the class community participate actively and thoughtfully. This includes 
  • listening to classmates' perspectives, asking questions that deepen understanding, and providing constructive feedback.
  • Be ready to approach discussions with curiosity, willing to challenge your own preconceptions and engage critically with the material and the perspectives shared by peers.
• Develop and exercise critical thinking throughout the course
• Navigate Canvas to find Assignment Guidelines and Syllabus information throughout the semester.

Be prepared to discuss your reflections in class and complete assigned readings that will be assigned in each class or communicated to you via Canvas. 

Attendance
You are expected to attend all DIS classes as scheduled. Absences will jeopardise your grade and standing at DIS. If you need to miss class due to being sick, please email me before our class to notify me of your absence, otherwise it will be considered an unexcused absence.

If you know that you will be late or unable to attend a class for any reason, please let me know as far in advance as possible. Where feasible, an online connection may be arranged, but this will be considered on a case-by-case basis and should not be assumed as an alternative to in-person attendance.

Academic Honesty

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.

Electronic Devices in the Classroom & Use of AI

Active note-taking is encouraged throughout the course, which might include recording questions, observations, and connections. To support active participation and minimise distractions, laptops should not normally be used during class.  If you need to use a laptop (or electronic) during class for a specific reason, learning accommodations or otherwise, please discuss this with me in advance. Thank you for your understanding. 

The use of AI writing tools in this course is restricted to specific stages such as brainstorming and making research plans, as explicitly authorized on the assignment prompt. The primary content should reflect your knowledge and critical thinking. Disclose all AI contributions.

Assignments and Late Policy

Assignments are designed to support and deepen your learning, giving you opportunities to apply course concepts, explore areas of particular interest, and make connections across readings, discussions and experiences. They reflect topics covered in class and are a way to reflect on and demonstrate how your understanding develops throughout the course.

The course instructor will support your learning through individual feedback and/or class discussion following assignments. Engaging with this feedback will be important to your progress throughout the semester. Assignments submitted after the due date will be subject to a grade deduction.

Class Representatives

Each semester DIS looks for class representatives to become an official spokesperson for their class group, addressing any concerns that may arise (in academic or related matters), suggesting improvements and coming up with new ideas. Class representatives are a great way for DIS faculty to ensure better and timelier feedback on their courses, assessments and teaching styles, and as such perform an invaluable role in connecting student needs with faculty instruction during term time. Class Representatives will be elected in class at the beginning of the semester.

Academic Accommodations

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support academicsupport@dis.dk

DIS Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

 

Evaluation and Grading

Assignment	Percent
Participation Reflection on papers in class, partaking in discussions on Canvas and in-class, presentations, peer reviews and being an active student overall. In this, students are expected to keep an eye and ear on the current issues happening in Denmark and abroad that are relevant to children and multiculturalism.	25%
Comparative Paper	20%
Field Inquiry Paper & Project	30%
Policy, Practice & Discourse Paper & Presentations	25%

 

Comparative Paper (20%)

(4-6 pages): This is an analytic and critical comparative reflection on children’s rights. You will choose one area relevant to children’s rights (e.g. education, health, play, participation, protection, or wellbeing) and explore it across Denmark and another cultural context with which you are familiar. A critical take in this paper means going beyond the description of how these rights are met- or not-, in the two countries, to considering how it is understood and approached in each context, including the cultural values, understandings of childhood, and wider social conditions that may shape these differences. This paper must include a bibliography of references used. More explanations will be given in class.

Field Inquiry Paper (30%)

(3-4 pages): Choose a specific experience, encounter, observation, place, artefact, conversation or interview related to children in a multicultural context and explore it through a small-scale inquiry. This may draw on a field visit, an observation from everyday life in Denmark, or direct engagement with a person, place or material. Drawing on course readings and concepts, analyse what your inquiry reveals about childhood, culture, belonging, inclusion, or education. The emphasis should be on critical interpretation rather than description, including reflection on your own assumptions and perspective.
*Discuss your choice with the instructor before beginning your paper. 

Policy, Practice & Discourse Paper & Presentation (25%)

As part of this assignment, you will explore a topic of interest within Children in a Multicultural Context. You will select a policy area, educational approach, institutional practice or public debate related to children and childhood in Denmark and explore it in greater depth. This is an opportunity to focus on an area that particularly interests you from this course, examine what we currently know and how the issue is understood, and identify questions that remain.

This assignment should help you to crystallise and bring together, in an analytical, critical and systematic manner, your learning within the semester. The assignment has two components: the first is a 4–6 page paper on the topic of your choice. The second is a 5 minute presentation in front of your peers and instructor, followed by a 5 minute Q&A.

The presentation can take any format that you feel best conveys your topic (e.g. PowerPoint presentation, poster presentation, Prezi, Pecha Kucha... be creative) and also allows for engagement and interaction with your peers. The presentation and paper should include academic insights, grounding in a theoretical or analytical framework, and critical personal reflections. You should move beyond description to consider the ideas, values, assumptions and discourses that shape your chosen topic, drawing where relevant on theoretical perspectives introduced in the course. Your exploration should conclude by identifying meaningful policy recommendations from your analysis. Preparation for this assignment will run throughout the semester.

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work.