Initiatives for equality and transformation of compulsory secondary education in Catalonia. Possibilities and tensions

Abstract

There is a collective imaginary that attributes to the developed countries a level of generalized wellbeing and an equality of educational conditions that does not correspond to reality. Recent studies in education in the European context reveal that, although all individuals have access to school, their results are different in relation with their social class, ethnicity or gender. In this context, a study has been conducted with five high schools in Catalonia that have implemented changes oriented to equality and educational transformation. The results show discursive, structural and pedagogical elements that could contribute to generate more egalitarian school cultures. Nevertheless, these initiatives are not enough to mitigate social inequalities, since the structural transformation of the educational system requires deep changes in the political and ideological orientation of public policies.