The Danish ‘ghetto initiatives’ and the changing nature of social citizenship, 2004–2018

Abstract

This article critically examines the Danish ‘ghetto initiatives’ of 2004, 2010, 2013 and 2018, with a particular focus on their implications for ‘social citizenship’. Its approach is twofold: firstly, it explores how each of the four major ghetto initiatives constructed ghettos and their residents as a problem for the welfare state, and what policy measures were proposed to address the problems identified. Secondly, it examines the legislative changes that resulted from each of the ghetto initiatives and assesses their implications for social citizenship. In doing so, it relates its findings to the different developmental stages of social citizenship in Danish welfare state history. The article argues that the ghetto initiatives have led to an unprecedented spatialization and ethnicization of social citizenship which mark a radical departure from the guiding principles of post-1945 Danish welfare thought and practice.

Migration Studies with a Compositional Data Approach: A Case Study of Population Structure in the Capital Region of Denmark

“…Additionally, the ternary diagram (Fig. 4) has also allowed us to graphically identify parishes with a very high percentage of non [17,28]. Our observations also are in agreement with previous studies [15] and confirm a degree of socio-spatial segregation in the capital region of Denmark.…”

Tingbjerg Changing Diabetes: experiencing and navigating complexity in a community-based health promotion initiative in a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark

“…Over the years, diverse political initiatives have been imposed upon Tingbjerg in efforts to improve conditions or counteract the development of so-called parallel societies [ 31 ]. Most of these initiatives originate from national acts targeting disadvantaged neighborhoods such as the Prevention of Parallel Societies Act, the Policing Zones Act and the Daycare for Children Act [ 32 , 33 ]. Most recently, the construction of new housing has begun in efforts to change the social mix of residents towards more well-educated and affluent families.…”

Successful Public Policy in the Nordic Countries

“…The enrolment gap that existed initially, has been steadily shrinking, even if children with migrant backgrounds often commence childcare later (FOA 2019;Ottosen et al 2018). Additionally, children of single mothers and socially excluded groups have historically been prioritized within the Danish childcare system (Thorsen 1997;Seemann 2021;. The Matthew effect in childcare, which is marked across many advanced economies, is significantly less pronounced in Denmark and other Nordic countries (Pavolini and van Lancker 2018;OECD 2020).…”

“…This was later extended to the 0-3-year-olds living in socially deprived areas. The aim is to give these groups of children a better start in life, although these motives were criticized from different interest groups and from the social liberals, for targeting non-ethnic Western citizens (Seemann 2021). The fact that both right-wing political parties and the Social Democrats repeatedly advocated for free childcare choices, but compulsory day care for children living in the so-called 'Ghetto-list' areas, points to the dual nature of their childcare approach.…”