The political landscapes in the Nordic countries are currently undergoing a transition, marked by the influence of far-right political parties that are reshaping human rights and fostering a discourse of 'us and them' concerning foreigners (Norocel et al., 2022). Additionally, equity within the welfare states is facing challenges from neoliberal economic ideologies, contributing to a growing wealth gap between the rich and the poor   (Kvist, 2011). Given this evolving context, educational leaders are compelled to respond proactively. This changing landscape underscores the need for research to theorize on how educational leaders can re-establish and re-imagine leadership practices as safeguards for democratic values and practices within educational institutions.

Sweden and Denmark, renowned for their social democratic welfare states (Gøsta Esping-Andersen, 2017), prioritizing economic growth, equality, and citizens' rights. Initially, after 1945, Nordic policymakers focused on democratic values in education to counter Nazism. However, this democratic approach has come under pressure in the last 20-30 years as educational policies shifted focus towards performance indicators such as measurable learning outcomes and benchmarking (Moos, 2017).

In the 1980s, demographic changes accelerated, leading to more multicultural societies in Sweden and Denmark. New citizens, often migrant workers in low-paying service jobs or refugees from conflict regions, contributed to this shift. Alongside the move to neoliberal governance indicators, this combination likely contributed to growing inequality and the emergence of marginalized groups within society. These groups, as described by Bauman (2007), have "all the time in the world but nothing to do with it." Kalkan (2022) demonstrated that a marginalized group of immigrants in Denmark, rather than attending schools or jobs, spends their time on the streets, emphasizing anti-establishment values.

Indeed, the inclusion of marginalized groups in the societal landscape poses a risk, as it may lead to the emergence of anti-democratic values such as racism and hate speech. Evidence shows discriminative structures within the school system (Sarri Krantz, 2018, Katzin, 2021, Wagrell, 2022). From our perspective, educational institutions bear a significant responsibility as safeguards against these anti-democratic tendencies. However, this responsibility is complicated by the performance indicators, as they tend to favour outcome-based teaching approaches.

As mentioned, educational leadership has been profoundly influenced by performance indicators, often derived from sources such as the OECD and adapted to national contexts (Pettersson, 2016). Consequently, Swedish and Danish leaders, for the past two decades, have been tasked with guiding their institutions in alignment with these performance indicators  (see e.g. Laursen, 2020, Englund, 2005, Ståhlkrantz, 2019). Yet, it is becoming increasingly apparent that these indicators contribute to inequality within societies, pushing them towards anti-democratic values  (Kalkan, 2022). Nevertheless, we hold the belief that educational leadership can take a different approach by initiating changes in governance and teaching methods, it can play a crucial role in safeguarding the installation of democratic perspectives in students' understanding of their own situations and their place in both the national and global contexts (Nussbaum, 1997, 2010, Bogotch, Schoorman & Reyes-Guerra, 2017, Sarri Krantz, 2023).

Our study entails a comprehensive historical and comparative analysis of educational policies in Sweden and Denmark. In this context, we aim to analyze the selected educational policies and subsequently theorize the possibilities and responsibilities for principals in ensuring the promotion and practice of democratic values within educational settings. To guide our exploration, we pose the following research question: How do educational policies in Sweden and Denmark underpin democratic values while potentially posing threats to social justice? Furthermore, how can the possibilities and responsibilities of principals be theorized in relation to these policies?

This research study employs a methodological framework based on two approaches. Firstly, it involves a comprehensive historical analysis of curriculum and educational policies, with a specific analytical focus on democratic values and opportunities for democratic participation in Swedish and Danish primary and lower secondary public schooling (Bryman, 2018). These analyses serve as the groundwork for the subsequent comparison between the Swedish and Danish cases. The comparison, in turn, serves as the foundation for discussing the possibilities for principals to promote democratic education and participation. Table 1 provides an overview of the various policies under investigation, detailing their historical origins and outlining the approach used to interpret them. The analytical process involves a thorough examination of the documents, specifically focusing on identifying indications of democratic values or, conversely, recognizing values that may suggest discrimination. Table 1: Overview of different documents and the analytical focus of the and their operationalizations into categorization criteria for social democracy and neoliberalism Sweden Year Name of document Analytical focus 1969 Curriculum for the elementary school - Democratic values - Human rights 1994 Curriculum for the elementary school - Equity/equality - Democratic core values 2011 Curriculum for the elementary school - Discrimination - Equal treatment Denmark Year Name of document Analytical focus 1975 School Act for primary and lower secondary elementary school - Democratic values - Participation 2014 School Act for primary and lower secondary elementary school - Equity/equality - Academic competences 2019 ‘Ghetto package’ concerning primary and lower secondary elementary school - Discrimination - Equity/equality - Academic competences As depicted in the table within our analysis, our focus centres on democratic values. Equity and discrimination, with discussions arising if contrary instances are observed, particularly exploring the potential for principals to foster democratic schooling. The intention behind adopting a comparative design (Bryman, 2016) is twofold. Firstly, this design enables the development of an understanding of the emerging 'us and them' dynamics in two similar countries characterized by extensive welfare programs and a longstanding emphasis on democratic values in education. Secondly, based on this understanding, the goal is to theorize the possibilities and responsibilities to maintain democratic approaches. Thus, the chosen cases for comparison study educational policies to theorize the possibilities for principals to serve as democratic safeguards, with the normative viewpoint that principals play a vital role in ensuring the integration of democratic values and promoting participation within educational institutions.

Our preliminary conclusion suggests that our comparative analysis of how educational policies shape principals' possibilities for democratic agency within their schools reveals that the policies support and emphasize democratic values for schools to educate students to become democratic citizens. However, it also highlights instances of discrimination against students based on their rural areas of living. The role of principals as safeguards for democratic values and practices appears both clear and, at the same time, blurry. This ambiguity arises from the implementation of policies in Sweden and Denmark that either contradict or, at the very least, complicate principals' efforts to support equal and democratic participation. In Sweden principals' possibilities for practices are shaped and constituted by the national political agenda and realised and implemented through the Education Act and soft law such as the curriculum. While, in Denmark, the School Act emphasizes the importance of schools introducing and preparing students to live and act as democratic citizens. However, policies such as the 'Ghetto-package' are discriminatory and shape the agency of principals in these schools to uphold values that contradict the essential democratic principle of equality, when they in fact need a totally different support system (Hirsh et al. 2023). Our examination of Swedish and Danish educational policies exposes a conflict between their professed democratic ideals and the presence of contradictory measures, exerting undue pressure on school principals and challenging the implementation of democratic practices. Through the scrutiny of these two cases, our research illuminates the existing challenges and contributes valuable insights for future studies with an interest for educational leadership and democratic participation. We posit that this knowledge provides a crucial foundation for European policymakers, facilitating a deeper comprehension of the internal pressures faced by even robust democratic societies.

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