The process of going private – parental choice and mistrust of the public school system in Norway

Abstract

This article examines the issue of school choice in a Norwegian educational context. Based on a qualitative study examining parents choosing private schools, the objective is to shed light on how privatisation processes take place within a national context where the public schools command a strong position. Inspired by sociological perspectives on how the ‘context of practice’ is important for parents’ orientation on the school market, the following research question is investigated: How are parents’ choices of private schools in Norway related to the educational context in which the choices are made? Drawing on a broad concept of privatisation the study illuminates how different privatisation processes are interrelated and how privatisation of education, manifested through growth in private schools and increased support for private alternatives, is related to the governance of and regulations for the public school and particularly policies related to privatisation in public education.