Marta Padovan-Özdemir made a strong defence of her thesis

Tuesday afternoon, December 6th, 2016 Marta Padovan-Özdemir presented a strong and well argumented defence of her PhD thesis “The Making of Educationally Manageable Immigrant Schoolchildren in Denmark, 1970-2013”.

With her thesis Marta Padovan-Özdemir demonstrates how revisiting the social question in a post-1970s context of educating non-western immigrant schoolchildren disturbs the optimistic salvation project of public education and immigration. 

The study was based on more than 800 various professional and political documents and provides basis for a positive critique on the Danish welfare nation states educational practices concerning the immigration schoolchildren from the mentioned time period.

During the debate with Joron Pihl from Oslo University, Marta Padovan-Özdemir made many well argumented points and clarified that she considers herself to be an ethnographer analysing practices rather than discourses. Trine Øland has been the main supervisor on the PhD thesis and Karen Borgnakke was the moderator of defence.

The assessment committee consisted of Associate Gerd Christensen from the university of Copenhagen, Professor Daniel Tröhler from the university of Luxemborg and professor Joron Pihl from the university of Oslo.