How children and adults challenge each other’s performances of everyday cosmopolitanism

Abstract

ABSTRACT Based on in-depth interviews with children aged 11–14, and their parents and teachers, this article discusses the various ways in which children and adults claim to value ethnic diversity, and how they challenge each other’s understandings of racism and performances of everyday cosmopolitanism. We illustrate how certain speech norms emerge during the interviews, and how especially adults seem to perform their cultural openness in such a way as to be perceived favourably. We distinguish between three different types of cosmopolitanism. While parents mainly perform “cultural cosmopolitanism” – that is representing themselves as open towards those with other cultural backgrounds – their children display “social cosmopolitanism”, which is grounded in their everyday social interactions. Teachers, in turn, seem to be especially concerned with performing “moral cosmopolitanism”, demonstrating social engagement and non-racism.