Social Sustainability through Children’s Expressions of Belonging in Peer Communities

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore the social dimension of sustainable development through children’s expressions of belonging in peer communities in preschool. Social sustainability and sustainable communities emphasize practices, human activity, and interactions that are equitable, inclusive, and sustainable, and preschool provides children with experiences of participation in collective groups and networks. Belonging to a community is an existential need and belonging, itself, is a relational phenomenon. Belonging is connected to power; the notion of “us” sets boundaries and creates a “them”. Based on Yuval-Davis’ analytical concepts and using video observation of children’s (aged 3–5) free play, this article explores children’s belonging in peer communities. This study contributes new knowledge in the field of social sustainability by illuminating communities of belonging built on closeness, conflict/negotiations, and joyfulness. Together, these elements embody experiences of importance to children’s belonging. A common thread running through these communities is the relationship between the individual and the community.

Swedish Parents’ Perspectives of Belonging in Early Years Education

“…Foreign-born parents assessed that their children had worse goal fulfilment in terms of inclusion than children of parents born in Sweden. The foreign-born parents who spoke a language other than Swedish at home found it even more difficult to enter the pre-school culture which is also confirmed in previous studies (Sadownik, 2018;Johansson and Rosell, 2021). Speaking a language other than Swedish at home was not the direct cause of poorer goal fulfilment, but there was probably in this group an over-representation of new arrivals who had not had time to adapt to the new situation.…”

“…Hindrances to or opportunities for participation can be created depending on how the physical environment is designed (Frithiof, 2007). A study of children's belonging to peer communities in Norwegian pre-school education shows how different conditions for belonging are created in different kinds of societies (Johansson and Rosell, 2021). In a study about Polish children's experiences of their migration to Norway, Sadownik (2018) reported that the children's cultural capital was devalued during the migration, and thereby their sense of belonging was limited since they lacked necessary cultural competences to participate in peer communities.…”

Caring for Worldviews in Early Childhood Education: Theoretical and Analytical Tool for Socially Sustainable Communities of Care

“…We understand social sustainability, in line with one of the four aspects in Eizenberg and Jabareen's [22] model of social sustainability, as equity, here with a specific focus on equal and inclusive care regarding a diversity of worldviews in preschool. Johansson and Rosell [23] were inspired by McKenzie [24] and described social sustainability in a wider sense as "the social, cultural, and political issues affecting people's lives within and between nations and on Earth" and as what "occurs when the formal and informal processes; systems; structures; and relationships actively support the capacity of current and future generations to create healthy and liveable communities" [23], p. 2. Within research in an educational setting like ECEC, there are several examples of Yuval-Davis's [25] thoughts on the politics of belonging that are used to discuss social sustainability.…”

“…Within research in an educational setting like ECEC, there are several examples of Yuval-Davis's [25] thoughts on the politics of belonging that are used to discuss social sustainability. Following this, we perceive children's social and cultural inclusion together with a sense of belonging as vital aspects of social sustainability [23,26].…”

Dancing as Moments of Belonging: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Dancing as a Relevant Activity for Social and Cultural Sustainability in Early Childhood Education

“…Manion and Adey [10] and Grindheim et al [5] perceive it in the ECE context as creating surroundings that include and stimulate positive interactions, such as promoting a sense of community and a feeling of belonging to the community where children live, to ensure their safety and attachment to the local area. Thereby, experiences of belonging to a culturally situated local area and to a peer community [11] are viewed as relevant for sustainable education in ECE. Children's life in ECE, where they are physically and socially separated from the rest of society, creates both age and spatial segregation [12], which can limit their sense of belonging and entanglement to their local culture and nature.…”