Does School Diversity and Intergroup Relations Impact Social Cohesion Among Youths?

Increases in migration have altered the UK's ethnic composition. The effects of diversity have raised concerns regarding several outcomes: social capital, in-group conflict, civic engagement and political participation, and trust. My project will examine the relationship between the ethnic diversity of schools and children's attitudes (immigration, in-group bias, trust) and behaviours (voting intentions, volunteering), focusing on how positive and negative interactions and parental attitudes influence behaviours and attitudes.

Research Questions:
1. What is the relationship between the ethnic diversity of schools and children's attitudes and behaviours?
2. What role do positive (contact) and negative (threat) interactions play?
3. Do parental attitudes and behaviours explain their children's?
4. Do these processes vary across ethnic groups and operationalisations of diversity?

Literature
Neighbourhood ethnic diversity has negative effects on social capital (Putnam, 2006). These findings support 'conflict' theory, suggesting that as societies become more diverse, people perceive a growing threat and competition for resources, symbols and status. In contrast, 'contact' theory suggests racial and ethnic diversity can reduce prejudice by bringing individuals into contact with out-groups. Positive intergroup contact effectively reduces prejudice, intergroup anxiety, and perceived threat because perceptions of threat that may have developed with increased diversity are offset by positive intergroup contact, and negative effects are suppressed by more positive ones. Social Learning Theory suggests that children model the behaviours of their parents, increasing their propensity to be prosocial, civically engaged and their political preferences. Thus, the role of contact and intergenerational transmission in relation to children require exploring at the school, household and neighbourhood level.

Originality
My work will make original, substantive and methodological contributions: First, scholars have focused on the negative consequences of diversity, overlooking positive factors. This project will incorporate positive (intergroup contact) and negative (threat) interactions that may shape social cohesion. Second, most diversity research uses cross-sectional data. This project will use longitudinal data to account for the dynamic processes in school contexts and child behaviour/attitudes, increasing the causal claims due to the time ordering of events. Third, the effects of diversity on children have not been explored. Schools are a microcosm where a significant amount of children's time and socialisation occurs, such experiences have a lasting effect on their adult lives.

Significance:
This project will address important issues on ethnicity, discrimination, child development, intergenerational transmission and intergroup relations and social cohesion. It is significant to policy makers and local/national governments. The main academic beneficiaries will be researchers from sociology, social policy, psychology, economics and political science. The general public, parents, teachers and children will also benefit, as it will raise awareness of key issues and target initiatives addressing equality, discrimination and segregation, with the aim of promoting tolerance and openness.

Methodology:
This project will use longitudinal data from a representative sample of 18,819 children, their families and schools within the Millennium Cohort Study. I will model the individual and contextual effects of schools and households over time. The MCS captures important behavioural and attitudinal information and includes neglected issues such as intergenerational links, the socio-ecology of the family, and schooling. I will use multilevel, longitudinal and structural equation modelling approaches that will account for the cumulative interplay between heterogeneity, negative and positive interactions and social cohesion.