With authority and empathy: the dual voice of kindergarten teachersin homogenizing ethnic and class differences in early childhoodintegration in Hungary

The present article examines institutional discourses on preschool "integration" in Hungary through qualitative interviews with kindergarten teachers in three ethnically mixed communities. The research investigates boundary-making processes in everyday parenting practices related to the institutional context of early childhood education. In the paper, we focus on how boundaries are(re)constructed in and by the institution of the kindergarten. Our analysis draws on two theoretical frameworks to situate the empirical data: Bourdeau’s concept of symbolic violence, which elucidates the hierarchical relationship between families and kindergarten professionals, and theories of street-level bureaucracy, which shed light on the dual identity of kindergarten teachers as both authoritative figures and empathetic caregivers. Findings from our research suggest that kindergartens, the first compulsory institutional settings for children in Hungary, play a key role in transmitting and enforcing community norms and thus serve as a key instrument for fostering social cohesion. However, the integration mission of teachers and institutions is framed around middle -class norms, positioning them as exclusive standards to which all children and parents need to conform. The key (unintended) consequence of this integration mission is the erasure of cultural and ethnic differences, often accompanied by racializing discourses about the Roma. This study critically examines the integration approach widely shared in early education pedagogy, revealing both its social costs and purported benefits.