EDUMIGROM Comparative Papers: Comparative Report on Educational Policies for Inclusion

The first research phase of EDUMIGROM focused on background studies on education and ethnic relations in the domestic contexts of the project’s target countries. During this phase, research teams gathered and processed macro-level data and information with three adjacent goals in mind: to supply the 16 comprehensive country studies on education and ethnic relations; to inform cross-country comparisons on minority ethnic youth in education; to provide ample information for the multi-level selection of samples for surveys, community and school case studies. The second research phase of EDUMIGROM, by applying a cross-country comparative perspective, focused on exploring similarities and differences among the project’s target countries in three broad topical areas: interethnic relations, the educational situation of minority ethnic youth, and educational policies attaining inclusion. The three closely related comparative studies rely on the outcome of the 16 background reports that discuss these issues in the domestic contexts. Taking into account the decisive influence of the diverse historical legacies of inter-ethnic relations and the potentials and limitations that the prevailing welfare state arrangements put on shaping these relations, these comparative studies introduce meaningful variations in the situation and opportunities of minority ethnic youth within and beyond education. By putting the notion of citizenship into their focus, the reports address general issues of ‘minoritisation’ that affect indigenous Roma in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and second-generational migrants in Western Europe in a similar way, and bring up the differential clusters of responses that the project’s target countries give to the surfacing challenges. On the basis of these analyses, the studies also draw out important implications with relevance to policies in the areas of minority rights, distributional justice, educational arrangements, and the broader perspectives of ascertaining equal opportunities for all. The publication of the three comparative studies is intended to provide valuable comparative knowledge and stimulate inter-regional and international discussions on issues related to the sociopolitical and economic situation, education, and integration of minority ethnic youth in Europe.