Becoming a school refuser: A sociological study of long-term school absence in Sweden

Despite long-term school absence having serious consequences for both children and parents, research on their experiences remains limited. The purpose of this article is to explore the process through which children become school refusers. The analysis draws on Bourdieu’s sociology and is based on interviews with 20 Swedish mothers of children they described as school refusers (in Swedish: ‘hemmasittare’). Three core contributions are outlined: First , the study adds nuance to discussions on the definitions of school absence by analysing extended school absence as a phased process linked to habitus transformation, emphasising its transformative nature. Second , the analysis highlights how school absence is influenced by medicalisation, the family’s economic, social, and cultural capital, and contemporary forms of parenting. Lastly , the study discusses school refusal as a reflection of societal tensions concerning the doxa (common beliefs) that positions education as essential, success in school as the norm, and school attendance as non-negotiable.