Twentieth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Parallel education systems for divided ethnic and religious groups are a feature of contested societies throughout the world. Where such societies seek to promote inter-group reconciliation through schools there is often a tension between promoting social cohesion and respecting the rights of different groups to education their children separately. In Northern Ireland where around 95% of students attend either predominantly Catholic or predominantly Protestant schools, a unique experiment in shared education has been ongoing since the mid-2000s. Shared education promotes curriculum based collaboration between Catholic and Protestant schools and uniquely affords students and teachers from the different school types opportunity for sustained engagement whilst at the same time enhancing educational opportunities. Drawing on an extensive programme of qualitative and quantitative research, this presentation reflects on the impact of shared education. It will argue that the shared education approach has positively influenced the attitudes and behaviours of students and has had benefits at wider community level. Focusing on the latter and contextualised in generative processes theories of social cohesion, a case will be made that distinctive features of shared education, including the legitimisation of inter-group differences, opportunity for sustained inter-group contact and the emphasis on educational outcomes, as well as a conducive legislative and policy framework have enhanced the potential of the model to contribute to peace-building in a society that in many respects remains deeply divided.