The effect of classroom diversity on tolerance and participation in England, Sweden and Germany

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The effect of classroom diversity on
tolerance and participation in England,
Sweden and Germany

Jan Germen Janmaat

Abstract

The belief in educational circles is widespread that ethnically mixed schools contribute to
inter-ethnic tolerance and community cohesion. Some political science studies, however,
have found that trust and participation are lower in ethnically diverse neighborhoods.
This paper explores the relation between classroom ethno-racial diversity, ethnic
tolerance and participation in England, Sweden and Germany using data from the IEA
Civic Education Study among 14-year olds. Controlling for various conditions at the
individual and classroom level, it finds a positive effect of classroom diversity on ethnic
tolerance in Sweden and Germany, which is in agreement with the contact perspective on
inter-ethnic relations. However, it does not find an effect on tolerance in England.
Moreover, classroom diversity only shows a positive relation with participation in
Sweden. The effect of diversity thus varies substantially across the two outcomes of
interest and the three countries examined. It is therefore tentatively concluded that
country-specific factors shape this effect to a significant degree.

Key words: classroom diversity, ethnic tolerance, participation, majority-minority
relations, contact and conflict perspectives

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