ABSTRACT Background: The international body of research on student voice concludes that active pupil participation has multiple positive effects on the work environment and learning for pupils. In a large study on gender equality and diversity work in Swedish schools, it became evident that pupils wanted to be active participants. However, pupils considered that their wishes were, to a large extent, ignored. Therefore, it is important to try to understand this further by investigating pupils’ perceptions of their experiences. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore how discourses of participation and power are practised, not practised, and materialised, by focusing in-depth on pupils’ representations of gender equality and diversity work within a small sample of Swedish schools. Methodology: The study is based on data from 10 focus group interviews with 43 pupils from 4 different schools, 2 compulsory schools (pupil ages 6–15) and 2 upper secondary schools (pupil ages 16–18), in Sweden. The thematic analysis utilised a gender perspective anchored in a critical policy analysis approach. Analysis and Findings: The analysis of focus group data identified three pupil representations of gender equality and diversity work: a onetime occurrence, longing for participation and the (un)fair teacher. These representations were derived from and intertwined with discourses on pupil participation and power. Three sub-discourses were found within the discourse on participation and power: normative barriers to participation, structural barriers to participation and openings in the barriers to participation. The first two sub-discourses support the maintenance of unequal power relations between adults and pupils, while the third challenges these power relations. Conclusions: Our study suggests that no substantial levels of participation or power among the pupils were represented at the schools. Instead, the analysis visualises pupils as expressing powerlessness and disengagement. However, the discourse Openings in the barriers to participation, together with pupils’ democratic abilities, has the potential to enable change and the development of pupil participation in schools.

中文翻译：

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无声的声音：学生参与性别平等和多样性

摘要 背景：国际学生声音研究机构得出的结论是，学生的积极参与对学生的工作环境和学习具有多重积极影响。在一项关于瑞典学校性别平等和多样性工作的大型研究中，很明显学生希望成为积极的参与者。然而，学生们认为他们的愿望在很大程度上被忽视了。因此，重要的是通过调查学生对他们经历的看法来进一步理解这一点。目的：该研究的目的是通过深入关注瑞典学校小样本中学生对性别平等和多样性工作的表现，探索参与和权力的话语如何被实践、不实践和具体化。方法：该研究基于对来自瑞典 4 所不同学校、2 所义务学校（6-15 岁的学生）和 2 所高中（16-18 岁的学生）的 43 名学生进行的 10 次焦点小组访谈的数据。专题分析利用了以关键政策分析方法为基础的性别观点。分析和发现：焦点小组数据的分析确定了性别平等和多样性工作的三种学生代表：一次性事件、渴望参与和（不）公平教师。这些表述源自关于学生参与和权力的论述并与之交织在一起。在关于参与和权力的话语中发现了三个子话语：参与的规范障碍、参与的结构性障碍和参与障碍的开放。前两个子话语支持维持成人和小学生之间不平等的权力关系，而第三个则挑战这些权力关系。结论：我们的研究表明，在学校中，学生的参与程度或权力水平不高。相反，分析将学生形象化为表达无能为力和不参与。然而，参与障碍中的话语开口，加上学生的民主能力，有可能促进学生在学校参与的变化和发展。分析将学生形象化为表达无能为力和不参与。然而，参与障碍中的话语开口，加上学生的民主能力，有可能促进学生在学校参与的变化和发展。分析将学生形象化为表达无能为力和不参与。然而，参与障碍中的话语开口，加上学生的民主能力，有可能促进学生在学校参与的变化和发展。