Speaker
Description
This study explores how parental concerns about children’s future sense of self and belonging is experienced and constructed in diverse societies, focusing on kindergarten as a shared space where family, community, and state intersect. Using semi-structured interviews with interethnic parents in Norway (N=9), analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022), this study examines how parental reflections on identity, belonging, and kindergarten choice engage with notions of difference/sameness and vulnerability.
To theorize how social identity is influenced by the imagined gaze and judgment of others, I draw on Cooley’s (1983) concept of the “looking-glass self,” extended here to a “looking-glass child.” Jenkins’ (2014) social identity theory further addresses group identity dynamics shaped by external categorizations, while a vulnerability lens informed by Butler (2016) highlights parents’ sensitivity to potential future threats to their children’s well-being.
Findings indicate that parents perceive their children’s identity as affected by social dynamics, including others’ attitudes and categorizations. Parents believe these external perceptions can influence their children’s experience of intrinsic value and belonging. Parents own experiences of vulnerability, such as bullying or discrimination, informed how they imagined their child’s future, suggesting that these experiences may have generational effects. These imagined vulnerabilities create tangible emotional consequences, shaping how parents navigate their child’s imagined future based on their own past. Respondents also feared that imagining their children as vulnerable could itself foster vulnerability. Findings underscore the need for supportive structures in early childhood settings to address the impact of shared normative spaces in diverse societies.
Keywords
Kindergarten; diversity; vulnerability; identity and belonging.
| Please also indicate what kind of contribution it is: | Scientific |
|---|---|
| Please indicate what type of scientific contribution it is | Qualitative method study |
