Pupils’ right to inclusion in an urban Finnish lower secondary school: a Bernsteinian analysis of pupils’ social relations

Abstract

Finnish schools are famous for their egalitarian principles, but they face challenges related to pupils’ equal opportunities and, more broadly, democratic schooling. In this article, we examine the lived consequences of a growing challenge, school segregation, using Basil Bernstein’s concepts of inclusion and classification. Our analysis is based on ethnographic data produced in a lower secondary school located in a relatively disadvantaged residential area in the metropolitan area of Helsinki, Finland. First, we explore how the classification of pupils from different social class and ethnic backgrounds is present in the school. Second, we analyse how the strength of this classification affects pupils’ right to inclusion. We conclude that weak boundaries between pupils, and thus weak classification, construct an inclusive school community. However, the different categories—social class, ethnicity or other—intersect, and the strength of their classification varies, which in turn affects pupils’ peer relations and feelings of belonging.

Keywords:

• Basil Bernstein
• pedagogic rights
• inclusion
• classification
• democratic schooling
• Finland

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 In 2020, the total population of Finland was approximately 5,500,000, of which around 444,000 (8%) were of foreign background (Official Statistics of Finland 2021).

2 The data regarding learning outcomes from comprehensive schools is not publicly available in Finland, but it can be accessed for research purposes on a municipal basis. Discussions with local educational authorities were also utilised in selecting the schools for the research project.

3 All names are pseudonymised to protect the anonymity of the study participants.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (decision number 314735).