Identity formation in minority education in the Danish-German border region

Adolescent identity formation is significantly shaped by social and institutional spaces, with schools playing a central role. This paper examines the identity formation of students in two minority schools in the German-Danish border region. Based on an ethnographic case study, 15 qualitative interviews and five group discussions were conducted with students, teachers and parents, alongside observations in Danish schools in Germany and German schools in Denmark. The analysis reveals that identification with a minority occurs on different levels: through family traditions, emotional belonging, and the perception of minority schools as an educational resource. While the German minority in Denmark tends to base its identity on cultural and familial ties, many members of the Danish minority in Germany view minority schools primarily as a means of educational and social mobility. Moreover, minority schools provide adolescents with a protected space where they can develop a bicultural identity without having to choose between national affiliations. These findings highlight the significance of minority schools as sites of identity formation and raise the question of whether such models could be applied to other minority groups and educational contexts.