The state role in civilising childcare–comparing policy intentions with childcare in Brazil and Denmark

The study investigates how the state uses kindergarten policy to strengthen social cohesion and reduce inequalities in the countries of Brazil and Denmark. The researchers look at how different governance intentions are reflected in kindergarten practices and influence children’s social adaptation and development. The study aims to understand how educational frameworks and guidelines function as civilizing processes for children, and how these processes are adapted to specific societal contexts.

The results show that both Brazil and Denmark use kindergarten policy as a means of promoting social cohesion and inclusion, but their approaches vary. In Denmark, children’s individual needs for inclusion are emphasised, while there is more focus on social tolerance and group affiliation in Brazil. Danish governance documents highlight the welfare and pedagogy of children as an integral part of democratic community participation, while Brazilian governance documents emphasise the protection of cultural diversity. In addition, the educators in both countries are responsible for helping the children adapt to social structures through democratic leadership and professional responsibility.

The study uses a qualitative approach in which governance documents and educational guidelines from Brazil and Denmark are analysed comparatively. The researchers collected 44 documents from the period 1990 to 2020, and used NVivo to encode and analyse the data. Through an abductive approach, researchers assessed cultural and linguistic differences to ensure a consistent understanding and interpretation of concepts in the two countries.

Møller, M. Ø., Lotta, G., Thomazinho, G., Schvartzman, Y., & Hill, M. (2023). The state role in civilising childcare–comparing policy intentions with childcare in Brazil and Denmark. Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy, 39(2), 170–188.