Influence of segregation versus mixing : Intergroup contact and attitudes among White-British and Asian-British students in high schools in Oldham, England

• Published in: Theory and research in education Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 179 - 203
• Main Authors: Hewstone, Miles, Ramiah, Ananthi Al, Schmid, Katharina, Floe, Christina, Zalk, Maarten van, Wölfer, Ralf, New, Rachel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Asians; Foreign Countries; Friendship; High School Students; Intergroup Relations; Longitudinal Studies; Positive Attitudes; Racial relations; Racial segregation; Religion; Religious Education; Safety; School Segregation; Secondary education; Secondary school students; Student Attitudes; Trust (Psychology); White Students; England; United Kingdom (England); trust; Attitudes; intergroup contact; segregation
• ISSN: 1477-8785; 1741-3192
• DOI: 10.1177/1477878518779879

We report findings from three longitudinal studies investigating the extent, quality and consequences of intergroup contact in schools between young Asian-British and White- British secondary (high-school) students. Results provide robust support for Allport's 'contact hypothesis' in this setting. Specifically, mixing (vs segregation) in high schools does actually promote intergroup contact (although there is still resegregation), and contact improves attitudes and trust towards the outgroup. We conclude that faith schools, to the extent that they are segregated, deprive young people of the opportunity to mix across ethnic and religious lines during the school day; in the absence of positive contact in a safe setting, intergroup contact and especially cross-group friendships are restricted, and positive outgroup attitudes are thwarted. [Author abstract]