Home Education and Social Integration Summary

If school attendance is important for social integra-tion, then a particular out of school practice like home education could possibly represent a threat to social integration. The findings of a Norwegian research proj-ect that surveyed socialization among Norwegian home educated students from different regions are presented and discussed using socialization theory and a theory of cultural order. Among the conclusions are the follow-ing: Pragmatically motivated home educated students are often socially well integrated. Religiously motivated home educated students that hold values distant from the values of society are not necessarily socially iso-lated. With more openness and more communication between society and home educators home educated students could meet criteria for social integration even more so than is presently the case. 1