Abstract
The Danish model of childcare differs from that of most other European countries, as the market, the educational system and the family play less influential roles in the care of preschool children. Consistent with other welfare regimes based on a strong public sector and a high level of taxation, early childcare institutions in Denmark are characterized by a pronounced public engagement and funding, and a strong principle of universalism and social education. Daycare institutions are meant to be integrative with the aim of overcoming social boundaries and classes, and this purpose defines the curriculum. Rather than more subject-oriented learning or school preparation, the educational content stresses inclusion, social behaviour and forms of communication.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Apple, M. W. (2006) ‘Producing Inequalities: Neo-Liberalism, Neo-Conservatism, and the Politics of Educational Reform’ in H. Lauder, P. Brown, J. A. Dillabough and A. H. Halsey (eds) Education, Globalization, and Social Chance (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
Bennett, J. (2005) Where Does Denmark Stand? (Paris: OECD/BUPL).
Bloch, M., Popkewitz, T., Holmlund, K. and Moqvist, I. (2003) Governing Children, Families and Education: Restructuring the Welfare State (London: Palgrave Macmillan).
Borchorst, A. (2000) ‘Den danske børnepasningsmodel-kontinuitet og forandring’ (The Danish model of childcare-continuity and change), Arbejderhistorie, 4, 55–70.
Borchorst, A. (2005) ‘Nøglen i de rigtige hænder. Lov om børne- og ungdomsforsorg 1964’ (The key in the right hands. The childcare Act of 1964) in J. H. Petersen and K. Petersen (eds) 13 reformer af den danske velfcerdsstat (13 Reforms of the Danish Welfare State) (Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag).
Christiansen, N. F. and Markkola, P. (2006) ‘Introduction’ in N. F. Christiansen, K. Petersen, N. Edling and P. Haave (eds) The Nordic Model of Welfare (Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press).
Coninck-Smith, N. de (1995) ‘Byggeri for børn. Daginstitutionsbyggeri før, under og efter 2. verdenskrig’ (Buildings for children. Day-care buildings before, during and after World War II), Architectura, 17, 7–30.
Fröbel, F. (1980) Småbørnspædagogik (The education of young children) (Copenhagen: Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck).
Gordon, C. (1991) ‘Governmental Rationality: An Introduction’ in G. Burchell, C. Gordon and P. Miller (eds) The Foucault Effect: Studies in Governmentality (Chicago: University of Chicago Press).
Gulløv, E. (2008) ‘Institutional Upbringing. A Discussion of the Politics of Childhood in Contemporary Denmark’ in A. James and A. James (eds) Culture, Politics & Childhood (London: Palgrave Macmillan).
Lov om social service (Law on social service) (1997) nr. 454 10 June 2007, http://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=85035#K3. Last accessed 25 March 2011.
Lov om dagtilbud (Law on daycare) (2007) nr 501, 06 June 2007, https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=32025. Last accessed 25 March 2011.
OECD (2001) Starting Strong. Early Childhood Education and Care (Paris: OECD).
Olssen, M. (1996) ‘In Defence of the Welfare State and of Publicly Provided Education’, Journal of Education Policy, 11, 337–362.
Rose, N. (1996) ‘Governing “Advanced” Liberal Democracies’ in A. Barry, T. Osborne and N. Rose (eds.) Foucault and Political Reason (London: UCL Press).
Rose, N. (1999) Governing the Soul. The Shaping of the Private Self (London: Free Association Books).
Sigsgaard, J. (1978) Folkeb Ornehaver og social padagogik. Trak af asylets og børnehavens historie (Folk-kindergarten and social education. Outline of the history of the asylum and the kindergarten) (Copenhagen: Forlaget Børn og Unge).
Shore, C. and Wright, S. (2000) ‘Coercive Accountability. The Rise of Audit Culture in Higher Education’ in M. Strathern (ed.) Audit Culture. Anthropological Studies in Accountability, Ethics, and the Academy (London: Routledge).
Skovgaard-Petersen, V. (1985) Danmarks historie (The history of Denmark), vol. 5 (Copenhagen: Gyldendal).
Skovgaard-Petersen, V. (2005) Om dannelse (On education), Unpublished paper (Copenhagen).
Statistisk årbog (Statistical yearbook) (2007) (Copenhagen: Statistics Denmark).
Tønsberg, V. (1980) ‘Indledning’ (Introduction) in F. Fröbel (ed.) SmåbOrnspadagogik (The education of young children) (Copenhagen: Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck).
Weber, K., Rosenbeck, B., Christiansen, N. F., Kirkebæk, B., Andersen, M. and Kampmann, J. (eds) (2005) Bag tallene. Humanistisk velfardsforskning (Behind the numbers. Humanistic welfare research) (Copenhagen: Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation).
Øland, T. (2010) ‘A state ethnography of progressivism: Danish school pedagogues and their efforts to emancipate the powers of the child, the people and the culture 1929–1960’. Praktiske grunde. Nordisk tidsskrift for kultur- og samfundsvidenskab (Practical Reasons. Nordic Journal of Cultural and Social Sciences, nr. 1–2, s. 57–90.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2012 Eva Gulløv
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gulløv, E. (2012). Kindergartens in Denmark – Reflections on Continuity and Change. In: Kjørholt, A.T., Qvortrup, J. (eds) The Modern Child and the Flexible Labour Market. Studies in Childhood and Youth. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230314054_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230314054_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-36796-2
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-31405-4
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social Sciences CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)