Racism in Danish Welfare Work with Refugees: Troubled by Difference, Docility and Dignity

This book explores contemporary Danish relations of colonial complicity in welfare work with newly arrived refugees (1978-2016) as recursive histories that reveal new shapes and shades of racism. It uncovers stock stories of color-blindness, potentializing, and compassion that help welfare workers invest in burying modern ghosts of difference, docility, and dignity, dismantling the global myth of the Danish benevolent, universalistic welfare state. It is of interest to scholars and students interested in Danish exceptionalism and the hidden interaction between past and present.

Format: Hardback
Length: 174 pages
Publication date: 18 May 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the intricate and nuanced dynamics of contemporary Danish relations of colonial complicity in welfare work with newly arrived refugees, spanning from 1978 to 2016. Through the lens of recursive histories, it unveils fresh dimensions and nuances of racism, shedding light on the enduring legacies of colonialism and the pervasive workings of raceless racism in the realm of assisting refugees. At the core of this exploration lies the examination of super- and subordination in the context of postcoloniality, highlighting the resilience of coloniality and the perpetuation of raceless racism within welfare work.

The book's principal contribution lies in the excavation of stock stories of color-blindness, potentializing, and compassion, which serve as powerful tools for welfare workers to invest in dispelling the persistent haunting of welfare work with refugees. These stories challenge the global myth of the Danish benevolent, universalistic welfare state, revealing the hidden interplay between past and present, the visible and invisible, in Danish welfare work with refugees.

This insightful book holds immense appeal to scholars and students alike, who are eager to delve into inquiries about Danish exceptionalism and the intricate connections between past and present, the visible and invisible, in the realm of Danish welfare work with refugees. Its profound insights and thought-provoking analysis offer valuable perspectives on the complex dynamics of colonialism, race, and welfare in contemporary society.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367563332