Diversity: How can schools strengthen social cohesion?

Our society is becoming increasingly diverse. Nevertheless, due to the segregated school system and residential segregation, students often experience only limited diversity in their own environment in terms of the economic situation of the parental home, ethnic origin, or political and religious worldviews (Morris-Lange et al. 2013). Schools face the challenge of practicing tolerance despite these obstacles.

We want to address the question of how schools can strengthen social cohesion. Actions within schools as well as joint actions with a selected school from another neighborhood are conceivable. It could be one idea to intensify personal contact across group boundaries to reduce prejudices (Hewstone 2009, Paluck & Green 2009). Existing programs can be improved or entirely new ones developed. It may be useful to focus on one diversity dimension (e.g. ethnicity).

In general, measures should take into account that they may also lead to undesirable side effects, which may even weaken social cohesion (al-Gharbi 2020, Dobbin & Kalev 2021).

We want to address the question of how schools can strengthen social cohesion. Actions within schools as well as joint actions with a selected school from another neighborhood are conceivable. It could be one idea to intensify personal contact across group boundaries to reduce prejudices (Hewstone 2009, Paluck & Green 2009). Existing programs can be improved or entirely new ones developed. It may be useful to focus on one diversity dimension (e.g. ethnicity).

In general, measures should take into account that they may also lead to undesirable side effects, which may even weaken social cohesion (al-Gharbi 2020, Dobbin & Kalev 2021).

Must-Read – the team should read this before the Kick-Off:

Morris-Lange, S./Wendt, H./Wohlfarth, C. (2013): Segregation an deutschen Schulen. Ausmaß, Folgen und Handlungsempfehlungen für bessere Bildungschancen (Sach- verständigenrat der deutschen Stiftungen für Integration und Migration (SVR) – For- schungsbereich). Berlin: SVR. URL: https://www.stiftung-mercator.de/content/uploads/2020/12/SVR_Studie_Bildungssegregation_Juli_2013.pdf; (abgerufen am 20. August 2021).

al-Gharbi, Musa (2020): “Diversity-Related Training: What Is It Good For?” Blog-Beitrag, Heterodox Academy, September 16, 2020. https://heterodoxacademy.org/blog/diversity-related-training-what-is-it-good-for/

Weitere Literatur:

Dobbin, Frank, and Alexandra Kalev. 2021. “Why Diversity Training Does Not Work and Policies to Combat Bias in the Workplace More Effectively,” The Economist, May 21.

Hewstone M. 2009. Living Apart, Living Together? The Role of Intergroup Contact in Social Integration. Proceedings of the British Academy, 162, 243–300.
https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/2071/pba162p243.pdf

Paluck, Elizabeth & Donald Green (2009). “Prejudice Reduction: What Works? A Review and Assessment of Research and Practice.” Annual Review of Psychology 60: 339-67. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163607

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Scientific Partner

Supporting Researcher

Clemens Kroneberg

Photo: EconTribute

Clemens Kroneberg is Professor of Sociology at the Institute for Sociology and Social Psychology at ECONtribute at the University of Cologne. He studied social sciences at the University of Mannheim and received his doctorate there in 2009. His research interests include social networks, diversity, migration and integration.