Many liberal-minded Western democracies pride themselves on their
commitments to egalitarianism, the fair treatment of immigrants, and the
right to education. These environments would seem to provide a best-case
scenario for the reception of immigrant youth. But that is not always
the case. Coercive Concern explores how stereotypes of Muslim
immigrants in Western liberal societies flow through public schools into
everyday interactions, informing how Muslim youth are perceived by
teachers and peers. Beyond simply identifying the presence of racialized
speech in schools, this book uncovers how coercive assimilation is
cloaked in benevolent narratives of care and concern.
Coercive Concern provides an ethnographic critique of the "concern"
that animates integration policy in Danish schools. Reva Jaffe-Walter
focuses on the experiences of Muslim youth at a public school where over
40% of the student body is of immigrant descent, showing how schools
operate as sites of governance. These efforts are led by political
leaders who promote national fears of immigrant take-over, by teachers
in schools, and by everyday citizens who are concerned about "problems"
of immigration. Jaffe-Walter exposes the psychic and material costs
immigrant youth endure when living in the shadow of social scrutiny, but
she also charts a path forward by uncovering the resources these youth
need to attain social mobility and success.
