The diversity effect: intergroup interactions and the impact of diversity on young people's attitudes and academics.

多元文化是几乎每个社会的特征，但多样性的价值受到高度质疑。尽管它作为挑战陈规定型观念和增加文化价值的一种手段具有潜在的财富，但它有时被视为一个社会问题，与紧张局势、隔离和文化冲突有关。然而，通过将多样性作为一个问题来关注，我们忽视了充分了解多样性如何以及何时与积极成果相关联，或者如何接受这些成果。拟议的项目旨在通过群体间接触理论的透镜，探讨在何种条件下多样性与社会凝聚力和教育成就相关联，从而填补文献中的这一空白。它将审查布里斯托这一联合王国多元化城市中学正式（教室）和非正式（自助餐厅）空间的种族隔离程度，以便了解观察到的行为、态度和成绩之间的关系，并确定可以采取哪些措施进行干预，促进所有学习者取得更积极的成果。该项目将提供理论和方法上的贡献。从理论上讲，这项研究将揭示多样性，教育和社会态度的兼容性，解决ESRC的战略优先事项，以促进一个充满活力和公平的社会。虽然有很多研究探讨了多样性对更广泛的社会和教育成果的影响（通常在美国），迄今为止，这些影响尚未通过群体间接触理论的透镜进行评估，同时考虑到课堂内外互动的性质和质量。因此，该项目将开发一种新的理论方法，汇集来自多个学科的观点，以全面了解多样性效应。在方法上，该项目将提供两个主要创新。首先，它将纵向整合多种定量和定性的方法和技术，超越目前英国社会科学多样性研究的重点仅仅是态度的自我报告，并在这样做的过程中为进一步的研究提供了一个新的，多层次的数据集。这将包括观察目标学校内不同空间的座位行为、社会网络分析和对纵向问卷答复的高级统计分析。其次，它将超越对影响的观察，并制定一个简短而易于实施的干预措施，这将有可能在英国和其他地区扩大和使用。为了实现这一目标，该项目将与教师和其他利益相关者合作，在整个项目和项目后的不同阶段设计，执行和传播研究。该项目有可能产生广泛影响。调查结果将告知多样性的理解，以及如何最好地促进群体间的关系和学术超越社会心理学和教育受众的所有学习者。这将深化证据基础，为英国和国际上的政策和实践提供信息。地方行为者和国际组织都越来越关注多样性对社会的影响。研究种族多样性的价值将为学校和更广泛的社会提供宝贵的经验教训，为减少种族紧张关系的可能性提供战略信息。

Multiculturalism is a feature of almost every society and yet the value of diversity is highly contested. Despite its potential riches as a means to challenge stereotypes and add cultural value, it is sometimes viewed as a societal problem, associated with tensions, segregation and a clashing of cultures. By focusing on diversity as a problem, however, we have neglected to fully understand how and when diversity is associated with positive outcomes or how these can be embraced. The proposed project aims to address this gap in the literature by addressing under what conditions diversity is associated with social cohesion and educational achievement through the lens of intergroup contact theory. It will examine the extent of ethnic segregation in formal (classroom) and informal (cafeteria) spaces in secondary schools in Bristol, a diverse city in the United Kingdom, to enable an understanding of the relationship between observed behaviours, attitudes and achievement and to establish what can be done to intervene and promote more positive outcomes for all learners. The project will provide both theoretical and methodological contributions. Theoretically, the research will shed light on the compatibility of diversity, education and social attitudes addressing the ESRC strategic priority to promote a Vibrant and Fair Society. Whilst there has been much research which has examined the effects of diversity on wider society and educational outcomes (often in the U.S.), to date these effects have not been evaluated through the lens of intergroup contact theory taking into consider the nature and quality of the interactions occurring within and outside the classroom. As such, the project will develop a new theoretical approach which brings together perspectives from multiple disciplines to gain a holistic understanding of the diversity effect. Methodologically, the project will provide two main innovations. First, it will integrate multiple quantitative and qualitative methods and techniques longitudinally, moving beyond mere self-report of attitudes which is currently a focus in UK social science research on diversity, and in doing so provide a new, multilevel dataset for further research. This will include observations of seating behaviour in different spaces within the target schools, social network analysis and advanced statistical analysis of longitudinal questionnaire responses. Second, it will move beyond observations of the effects and develop a short and easy to implement intervention which will have potential to be scaled up and used across the UK and beyond. To achieve this, the project will work with teachers and other stakeholders in the design, execution, and dissemination of the research at different stages throughout and after the project. The project has potential for wide impact. The findings will inform understandings of diversity and how to best promote intergroup relations and academics for all learners beyond the social psychology and education audiences. This will deepen the evidence base that can inform policy and practice in the UK and internationally. Both local actors as well as international organisations have become increasingly interested in the effects of diversity on society. Examining the value of ethnic diversity will provide valuable lessons for schools and wider society informing strategies to reduce the likelihood of ethnic tensions.