Ethnic majority and minority youth in multicultural societies

Abstract

Ethnically/racially diverse schools and classrooms form the immediate social contexts for many children and adolescents, providing both ethnic minority and majority children with various challenges and opportunities. In multicultural societies both minority and majority group members often avoid intergroup contact since they anticipate either discrimination or intergroup anxieties respectively. This situation constitutes a barrier to the formation of inclusive social settings for youth. Yet multicultural societies can also pave the way to the development of many positive social and developmental outcomes by offering the opportunity to expand the self, develop empathy and perspective-taking skills, and promote the desire and confidence to engage in further cross-group contact. This chapter explores the extent to which children transform their multicultrual experiences into an ‘asset’ or a ‘hindrance’ and investigate underlying situational and personal factors that are crucial for successful intergroup contact within diverse societies.