Citizenship education policies in Northern Ireland and the recognition of ethnic and racial diversity in the wake of new immigration

Abstract

This paper investigates the emergence of a citizenship education policy in Northern Ireland and its recognition of ethnic and racial diversity. This is particularly important in the wake of the recent rise in racist attacks on non-nationals. It argues that Northern Ireland constitutes an interesting case study in both the conceptualisation and the accommodation of diversity in education. The distinctive contribution of citizenship education á la nord-irlandaise to the debate on education and immigration is situated within the context of the emergence of this curricular module in Europe. The importance of international normative models emerges out of the consideration that European initiatives in citizenship education may point the way forward and provide a useful lesson for Northern Ireland