From Discipline Power to Pastoral Care: "Tattare," "Gypsies," and Education in Sweden, 1923–1960

Abstract

Abstract: In the context of compulsory schooling in Sweden, this article discusses the shift from what was often called "the Tattare problem" to, later, "the Gypsy question." The article frames the discussion with reference to Michel Foucault and his concepts of discipline power and pastoral power. The central question addressed is how the schools dealt with students from these groups. Children, especially their care and handling, were an important focus of welfare politics in Sweden. This meant that childhood was a significant field of governance, which became obvious in schools' work with "Tattare" and "Gypsy" children. This article highlights how the tone towards these groups changed, especially in the 1940s. Over time, these students were seen as more malleable by institutions and their agents, which exerted pastoral power by guiding and leading them in order to shape the minds of these future citizens.