Exploring Race and Racialization in Nordic Elementary Education: A Literature Review Analysis of Current Studies with Denmark as case

This article explores the evolving landscape of race and racialization studies in Nordic educational research, focusing on primary and lower secondary schools from 2010 to 2023. Despite the celebrated welfare state model promoting equal rights, the Nordic countries grapple with a perception of homogeneity rooted in color blindness. Over the past two decades, Nordic scholarly contexts have recognized race as a crucial category of analysis, reflected in an increased number of studies and conferences. The quantitative overview shows varied publication trends across Nordic countries. The qualitative case study of Danish research shows a predominant focus on revealing racializing practices and experiences of racism. However, recent studies suggest a development facilitated by the establishment of race-critical studies as a field. Legitimizing the use of race as an analytical category lays the groundwork for studies treating racialization and racism as established facts. This opens possibilities for research to extend beyond merely exposing these processes and experiences, allowing for a focus on for example resistance against racialization. This shift challenges Nordic color blindness, unsettling racial objectification and highlighting the role of whiteness.