Intergroup Contact, Friendships and Prejudice Reduction in Multiethnic Schools and Communities Sociological, Psychological and Pedagogical Research and Theory

"At a time when hostility towards immigrants and refugees appears to be growing on both sides of the Atlantic, this book offers a valuable contribution to fuel the fight against prejudice, starting from educational contexts. It has three great merits: to bring sociology, psychology and pedagogy into dialogue; to compare the experiences of different European countries; to combine theoretical reflection with experiences and operational proposals. I strongly recommend reading it not only to academic scholars, but also to teachers, educators, social workers, people committed to building more open and inclusive societies."

Maurizio Ambrosini, Professor of Sociology of Migrations, Department of Political, Economic and Social Sciences, University of Milan, Italy

"In this groundbreaking new book, the authors address a critical topic: how schools can play a role in helping societies adjust to demographic change brought about by immigration. The issues raised in the book are complex and controversial, but the authors address them thoughtfully, bringing theoretical sophistication and empirical evidence to analyze the changes that are occurring in European nations as a result of immigration. Policy makers, educators and anyone seeking to understand what to expect in the future as a result of the demographic changes occurring today will find this book to be insightful and informative."

Pedro Noguera, Sociologist, Distinguished Professor of Education and Emery Stoops and Joyce King Stoops Dean, University of Southern California, USA

"This exciting new edited volume brings together research studies and theoretical insights from the social sciences to explore the contours of intergroup friendship. What I especially appreciate is that the book editors and contributors recognize how many individual and contextual factors may foster the development of cross-group friendships, on the one hand, and how additional factors may challenge their existence and longevity, on the other. Given that young people have grown to recognize themselves and others in relation to many lines of difference-including differences associated with race, ethnicity, culture, religion, language, and national origin, among others-it has become all the more important to enhance our understanding of how young people navigate friendships across group lines, and how the nature and effects of their friendships may vary depending on features of the social, cultural, and political contexts in which they are embedded."

Linda Tropp, Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences; Director, Psychology of Peace and Violence Program; Faculty Associate, School of Public Policy University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

"This timely volume illuminates the intricate pathways through which intergroup contact and friendship formation shape young people's developmental trajectories in increasingly diverse educational spaces. Through rigorous cross-national evidence, the contributors masterfully reveal how institutional structures, group dynamics, and individual experiences intersect to create-or impede-opportunities for meaningful connection and belonging. At a time of rising global xenophobia, this essential work provides both a theoretical framework and practical roadmap for educators and policymakers committed to fostering the kind of deep cross-cultural connections that allow all children - and societies - to flourish."

Carola Suárez-Orozco, Psychologist, Professor in Residence, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Director of the Immigration Initiative at Harvard, USA