Tracing the biologistic ability paradigm in Danish special education: a historical inquiry into three Danish welfare state contexts, 1923–2023

This article explores the role of the biologistic ability paradigm in Danish special education across three historical contexts (1923–2023). It examines how biologistic notions of intelligence and ability have shaped educational policies and practices within the Danish welfare state. Using a diachronic and comparative approach, the study highlights shifts in how special education has been used to classify, optimise, and manage population diversity. It discusses the influence of psychology, psychiatry, and IQ testing in shaping student differentiation and governance. The article argues that contemporary policies on gifted education and intelligence screening reflect a reconfiguration of biologistic reasoning, aligning with broader shifts toward competitiveness and individual optimisation in education. Ultimately, it demonstrates how biologistic ability paradigms have evolved as tools of governance, influencing both inclusivity and exclusion within the educational system.