Intercultural and Interreligious Competences of Youth: A Case Study in a Secondary School in Barcelona

Abstract

The growing diversity of today’s societies has generated increasing interest across different subject areas that aim to help make these societies fairer and more inclusive. The constant increase in migrations and the broadening of the concept of diversity and its intersections, together with social challenges and the acceptance of this diversity, mean this issue needs to be dealt with, especially in the educational sphere. This research uses a case study to assess the perception and experience of cultural and religious diversity among young people at a state secondary school in the city of Barcelona, Spain. The case is analyzed through a mixed method, using quantitative data obtained through the exploitation of two scales, and qualitative information gained from a reflective pedagogical activity. The results show that students display attitudes of respect and acceptance of cultural and religious diversity while recognizing discriminatory behavior in the society in which they live. A salient point was that a more positive perception of interculturality and interreligiosity was observed in students from non-Spanish family backgrounds than among those born in the country.