Being at home: Global citizenship in Norwegian schools. A study of children’s poems

Barbara Gawronska,Susan Erdmann

doi:10.31743/lingbaw.5638

Abstract

The paper addresses the question of self-perceived identity in children attending international schools in Norway. In this population, the distinction between “home culture” and “host culture” is no longer relevant, since most of the children represent “hyphenated” (e.g. Asian-British or American-Scandinavian) or merged nationalities and cultures. The goal of the study is to investigate how these pupils define themselves and the notion of “home”. To achieve at least a preliminary picture of the children’s self-perception, the authors have analysed poems on two topics: Me and Home, written by pupils of an international school and a Norwegian school, both informant groups aged 11-13. A semantic analysis of the poems indicates that the international school children present strong assertions of individual identity as defined against societal roles, while the Norwegian school pupils do not conceptualize identity formation as a struggle and their poems reflect a high degree of social, familial and national integration.

Highlights

During the last three decades, the issue of children growing up in multicultural environment has attracted researchers’ attention in several scientific fields: sociology, psychology, intercultural studies and linguistics, just to mention the most prominent areas
Even if globalization is by no means a modern (20th and 21st century) phenomenon, we are confronted today with an unprecedented acceleration of ethnic migration and intercultural contacts. Both are enhanced by technological and economic development, including the accessibility of cheap travel, the increasing internalisation of commercial companies, and the widespread use of electronic media. All these factors contribute to the fact that the issue of cultural identity has become much more intricate than it was in the midst of the 20th century
International schooling is in the process of transforming its scope

Summary

Introduction

During the last three decades, the issue of children growing up in multicultural environment has attracted researchers’ attention in several scientific fields: sociology, psychology, intercultural studies and linguistics, just to mention the most prominent areas. Even if globalization is by no means a modern (20th and 21st century) phenomenon, we are confronted today with an unprecedented acceleration of ethnic migration and intercultural contacts Both are enhanced by technological and economic development, including the accessibility of cheap travel, the increasing internalisation of commercial companies, and the widespread use of electronic media. International schools have been transformed from establishments dedicated to teaching foreign children living abroad to institutions providing an international education to locals. This shift in mission has broadened and changed the philosophies governing many of these schools, leading to a greater focus on English language skills, intercultural communication, and some sense of global understanding or responsibility

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Conclusion