Legitimising inequality? The governance of ‘Others’ through participatory initiatives in schools

The evaluative research project on the Integrated Plan of the Roma People in Catalonia was funded by Roma Initiatives of the Open Society Foundations, under the framework of the 'EU Roma Framework Advocacy Grant'. The project on AMPAs was financed by the Secretariat of Immigration of the Department of Social Welfare of the Generalitat de Catalunya and formed part of the university teacher-training programme (FPU) financed by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Abstract

This article discusses how the call for families’ active participation in school can be understood as a form of regulatory act producing neoliberal subjectivities based on responsibility, entrepreneurship and rational calculation. The analysis draws on the results of two projects aiming to improve the relationship between families of Spanish Roma and immigrant background and the school. Results suggest that the idea of participation is presented as an element for the transformation of the schools. Nevertheless, the programmes are implemented without questioning the power structure present in school, and so put even more responsibility on the families, and make more visible their supposed deficits. Approaching participation as a key feature of neoliberal governmentality, our analysis highlights how these participatory initiatives foster a type of assimilationist diversity approach and legitimise the existing status quo in schools.

Keywords:

• Parent participation in schools
• immigration
• Roma/Gypsy
• governmentality
• Third Sector Organisations

Notes

The evaluative research project on the Integrated Plan of the Roma People in Catalonia was funded by Roma Initiatives of the Open Society Foundations, under the framework of the 'EU Roma Framework Advocacy Grant'. The project on AMPAs was financed by the Secretariat of Immigration of the Department of Social Welfare of the Generalitat de Catalunya and formed part of the university teacher-training programme (FPU) financed by the Ministry of Education and Science.