Excluded or Selected: Selection Processes and Accessibility of Student Councils in Icelandic Primary Schools

Abstract

In contemporary society, children’s social participation has significantly increased alongside greater emphasis on student democracy within educational system. The selection of students for student councils represents a key aspect of democratic participation in school life, intended to offer students a platform to voice their opinions and engage actively in decision-making processes. Over recent decades the education system has undergone notable transformations, characterised by increasing social stratification, a growing need for differentiation among students and marketisation. Schools have consequently become meaningful fields for the reproduction of social inequalities where the ideals of equal opportunity often conflict with the underlying structures of social power.

This study conducted five focus group interviews with over eighty students currently participating in student councils in Icelandic primary schools. The primary aim of the research is to explore how students’ social backgrounds are reflected in the selection processes of student councils. Additionally, the study seeks to examine whether student councils serve as a field where societal power structures are reproduced and maintained. The two guiding research questions are: (1) How does the selection of students for student councils reflect their social background? and (2) Who holds power within the field of student councils?

Using thematic analysis of the focus group interviews, the researcher constructed three main themes: (i) traditional selection processes for student councils reflect social stratification, (ii) unequal distribution of power in student councils and (iii) student councils act as a field that provides selected students with social and cultural advantages. These themes reveal that student councils, much like the school system itself, operate as mechanisms for the reproduction of class structures, wherein dominant groups consolidate and extend their privileged status.

The findings of this study align with broader developments within education systems internationally, where the differentiation of students based on performance, background or social status has become increasingly normalised. Students who possess a “suitable” habitus, along with symbolic capital such as social confidence, popularity and recognised forms of knowledge and behaviour, gain an advantage not only in accessing student councils but also in influencing decisions within them. In this way student councils often reinforce existing hierarchies rather than providing an open and egalitarian field for all students.

These findings also reflect the concerns raised by Laura Lundy, who emphasises that while children’s right to express their views is widely recognised through Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, its implementation often falls short. According to Lundy, meaningful participation requires not only that children are given space and voice, but also that their views are actively listened to and influence decisions. The current structure of student councils, as highlighted in this study, shows that certain students’ voices are prioritised over others, limiting true democratic engagement.

These results resonate with Bourdieu’s theories of social reproduction and symbolic violence. Bourdieu argued that educational institutions contribute significantly to the maintenance of social inequalities by valuing the forms of capital already held by the dominant social groups. Similarly, the findings of this study indicate that student councils, while ostensibly democratic, function within the same frameworks that privilege certain students over others, often based on invisible but deeply entrenched social norms.

Furthermore, the study highlights the discrepancy between policy intentions and actual practice. While Icelandic education policy, including the National Curriculum Guide and the government’s Education Policy Action Plan, emphasises democratic values and student participation, the findings suggest that systemic barriers continue to limit the equality of access and influence within student councils. International commitments, such as those set by the Nordic Council of Ministers to prompt inclusion, democracy and sustainability in education by 2030, also underline the need for educational institutions to bridge the gap between ideals and practice.

Given these insights, the study underscores the urgent need for a critical re-evaluation of selection processes for student councils in Icelandic primary schools. It stresses the importance of abandoning traditional selection methods for student councils and developing new and more inclusive methods that ensure genuine opportunities for all children to participate in democratic structures, regardless of their social background or perceived social status.

Addressing these structural inequalities is essential, not only for achieving a more democratic and inclusive school environment, but also for fostering broader societal change. By ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to engage, contribute and influence decision-making processes within schools, the education system can better fulfil its role in promoting active citizenship, social justice and democratic values. In doing so schools may truly become fields where every child’s voice is heard, respected and acted upon.