Different together? Ethnic diversity, the experience of inclusive culture, and inclusive leadership in Danish upper secondary schools

Resumé

Danish society is becoming more diverse, which can challenge social cohesion. This article explores the relationship between diversity and the experience of an inclusive culture in the public sector, based on data from students and teachers at 104 Danish upper secondary schools. The findings reveal a negative relationship between students’ ethnic diversity and their experience of an inclusive culture, while a positive relationship exists for teachers. The experiences of an inclusive culture among teachers and students are not related. However, higher levels of inclusive leadership strengthen the positive relationship between student diversity and teachers’ experience of an inclusive culture. The study highlights the need for further research with stronger designs and more reliable data to better understand these dynamics.