Abstract

New dynamics of migration, interethnic conflict, socioeconomic class differences, and social segregation are increasingly brought into confrontation in public debate and have become a growing focus of study in the Social Sciences. Embracing the increasing social diversity resulting from processes of modernization and globalization involves promoting a more inclusive, respectful, and equitable society—one that accepts individuals for who they are, regardless of cultural, ethnic, religious, or class differences. To date, sociological research has often focused on analyzing the positions that various social groups occupy within the social structure and the challenges they face in integrating into society (Viveros Vigoya, 2016; Wade, 2000; Young, 2000). However, this line of research has tended to overlook two fundamental aspects. First, there has been relatively little examination of the process of social inclusion within schools (Blanco, 2006) and of how students perceive other groups in their everyday interactions—specifically, whether they accept or reject certain social groups different from their own in spaces beyond the school, such as in their neighborhoods. Second, increasing attention is being paid to the processes through which individuals learn or reproduce attitudes related to the acceptance or rejection of particular social groups, and to the role of schools (Malak-Minkiewicz & Torney-Purta, 2021; Sandoval-Hernández et al., 2018) and families (Bandura, 1969; Santander Ramírez et al., 2020) in shaping these attitudes, as well as the influence of patterns of territorial segregation on intergroup perception and trust (Baldassarri & Abascal, 2020; Fernández et al., 2016; Coté & Erickson, 2009).

Using data from 4,801 students and their parents or guardians, drawn from the First Study on Citizenship Education in Chile (2017), this research aims to examine the different socialization processes involved in the development of attitudes of acceptance or rejection toward various social groups in the neighborhoods where students live. Specifically, through quantitative methodologies, the study seeks to demonstrate, on the one hand, that both the family and the school play a role in shaping these attitudes, with the expectation that schools may help mitigate inequalities stemming from students’ social backgrounds. On the other hand, the study also explores how certain contextual characteristics of the territories in which students reside influence their attitudes toward social diversity. The findings reveal that, within the family socialization process, it is the attitudes of parents or guardians—not their socioeconomic resources—that significantly influence students’ views. In schools, both civic knowledge and a classroom climate that encourages discussion and debate are positively associated with more inclusive attitudes among students. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for public debate and the development of educational policy.