Actions to prevent racism and xenophobia in schools: the role of intercultural mediators

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Published: Jan 2, 2020
Keywords:
cultural diversity, stereotypes, teachers, families, intercultural mediator, racism

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Núria Llevot Calvet
PhD Department of Pedagogy. University of Lleida (Spain)
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6945-2502
Olga Bernad Cavero
Professor Department Pedagogia Università di Lleida (Spain)

Abstract

The presence in the classrooms of students from different cultural and religious traditions has been an important challenge for the Spanish educational system. With the aim of analysing how cultural diversity is taken care of and worked on in schools in Catalonia, we have carried out an ethnography in eight public centres of maximum complexity. Despite the actions promoted by the educational administration and the centres and having detected some successful experiences, the observations and interviews have allowed us to see the persistence of cultural and racial stereotypes among students and also between teachers and families, and of subtle and blurred discriminatory attitudes and practices in the hidden curriculum.


We analysed the role of two figures: the intercultural mediator in the case of pupils of foreign origin and their families and that of the gypsy school promoter in the case of pupils of gypsy origin. Both figures are key to improving coexistence in schools, preventing conflicts, making students intercultural competent and fighting racism and xenophobia.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 9 No. 2 (2019): Hate speeches as emerging pedagogical problem
Section
Good Practices

CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IT

Author Biographies

Núria Llevot Calvet, PhD Department of Pedagogy. University of Lleida (Spain)

Núria Llevot Calvet is an associate professor (Serra Hunter de la Generalitat) of the University of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. Her lines of research focus on mediation and intercultural education, religious diversity, ethnic minorities and Africa-Europe cooperation. She has made several research stays in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Paris, Mostar, Dakar, Padova, Rome ... also delivered papers, trainings and articles internationally. She is part of the board of directors of the UdL Research Institute and the GR-ASE Research Group "Educational and Social Analysis" of the UdL.

Olga Bernad Cavero, Professor Department Pedagogia Università di Lleida (Spain)

Olga Bernad Cavero is a professor and researcher at the University of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. Her lines of research focus on sociology of education, family-school relationship and migration, as well as cultural diversity, among other topics. She has conducted research stays in Montreal and Dakar, as well as a multitude of presentations and training. In recent years she has published articles of recognized prestige. she is member of the Research Group GR-ASE "Educational and Social Analysis" of the UdL. And also from the Lleida Socio-Educational Observatory, of the Coordination Group of Studies and Innovation on rural schools (CEIER) and of the Interuniversity Group on rural schools (GIER).

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