Growing Inclusive: What helps teenagers open up to diversity?

What makes adolescents more or less inclusive, capable of welcoming ethnic and cultural diversity and supporting the integration of foreigners? This is the question at the centre of an extensive research programme conducted at the Department of Psychology 'Renzo Canestrari' of the University of Bologna, as part of the project IDENTITIES - Managing Identities in Diverse Societies: A Developmental Intergroup Perspective with Adolescents. Funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and coordinated by Professor Elisabetta Crocetti, the project is based on a comprehensive longitudinal study involving more than 1,500 adolescents, their families, their teachers and the councillors of the municipalities where they live.

For the first time, it has been analysed in an integrated way how inclusiveness develops over time, showing that it is not just an individual issue: it is profoundly shaped by everyday life contexts. Family, school and territory play an active and differentiated role in favouring or, vice versa, hindering the adoption of an open and welcoming perspective towards diversity.
"The project aims to explore how young people with different backgrounds build their identity within an increasingly multicultural society," says Professor Crocetti. "It offers a new look at youth inclusiveness, useful not only to the scientific community, but also to those who deal with education, youth policies and social inclusion. The results highlight the need to act on several levels - individual, relational and structural - to foster a culture of acceptance and respect'.

Crucial has turned out to be the role of the family. And it is fathers - more than mothers - who influence the development of inclusive values in daughters and sons. The influence is strongest when young people perceive emotional support from their fathers. When fathers have left-wing political orientations, the relationship becomes two-way: daughters and sons also influence their parents' opinions.

School emerges as a place of identity and openness: adolescents are more inclusive than parents, but less so than teachers. Those who develop a strong school identity - characterised by commitment and reflection - tend to be more open to diversity, regardless of origin. A school that promotes fairness and respect for ethnic and cultural diversity fosters social well-being and a sense of belonging, which are essential for a lasting inclusive attitude.

Finally, the role of the territory: living in diversity is not enough. In municipalities with high ethnic and cultural diversity, adolescents may in fact develop more closed attitudes, especially if positive experiences of interaction between groups are lacking. Girls are less affected by these negative effects than their peers.