Group dynamics in the multiethnic school

Introduction

The world as we use to know it today is constantly changing, the rate at which the environment, standards and expectations change is such that it is not unusual to feel lost at times because we no longer know how to implement socially acceptable behaviour.

Globalization has deeply changed the way we live and perceive the world around us, and the feeling that comes from it is that you have to run in some way if you don't want to be left behind, to keep up with the many changes that occur every day, practically in every aspect.

Changes, offspring of these changing times, occur in all areas of our lives in fact, today it is no longer necessary to travel to reach distant destinations if we want to learn more about a different culture; the media allows us to enjoy all the information we need. Moreover, migratory flows have made the borders fade to the point of disappearing. A few decades ago, each country had its own culture, customs and habits which not only identified the status of that country but also provided behavioral guidance to the citizens of that national group. Even this aspect is changing fast today; cultures are influencing each other, nationalism seems to be on the verge of extinction in favor of a more global identity that incorporates multitude of different identities.

So, I wondered what happens in today's world when our children begin their life path, taking their first uncertain steps but still independently in new and unfamiliar environments such as school, today more than ever, varied by colors, different ideas and experiences?

Although the idea of a world without differences is idyllically attractive, it is enough to dwell a moment on the daily news to realise that unfortunately, reality does not always reflect an ideal, so episodes of violence and discrimination are increasing and are becoming part of a daily life that once did not belong.

As mentioned before, change is inevitable, however, a demographic change should also correspond to a structural, political, and social one, so as to be prepared to manage the result of change in a proper way. Data from the Statistical Dossier on Immigration (XXXI Report on Immigration 2022, Italian Caritas, and Migrante Foundation) highlight that the number of migrants in Italy in 2021 was 281 million, which is 3.6% of the world's population. The data also show that the foreign population, in general, has a younger age structure than the Italian population, resulting in an influx of young men and women who will access educational services in our country. Additionally, there are over one million children born in Italy to foreign parents (second-generation migrants), and when combined with those born to Italian parents, they create a total exceeding 1,300,000, representing 13% of the total population under 18 years of age in Italy. The percentage of students with non-Italian citizenship in the total school population is 10.3%.

These numbers demonstrate how the talked-about changes translate into practical situations in everyday life. Italian schools as well as the society, are at the center of a field which internal and external forces continue to move, giving rise to changes in professional, institutional, and cultural contexts.

The presence of non-Italian students in classrooms is a concrete reality, and the scale of this phenomenon is so significant that it can no longer be considered merely a phenomenon. The point is that today's reality has changed, and in light of what was said at the beginning of the opening paragraph, it is important to keep up with the times, that also applies under an institutional perspective that must guarantee the rights to health, education, and work to new populations, as well as ensure healthy integration for both newcomers and those who are not new.

The work I have done focuses on researching the factors that accompany the displacement of the masses, from causes to consequences, the identity and ethnic processes involved, but also the mental health of those who arrive in the new destination country and the search for professional figures able to guarantee their well-being also on the psychological level.

The theoretical framework of this work is cognitive, which, as we will see later, fits well with the social psychology which, more than any other field of psychology, has been interested in studying the cognitive processes underlying individual choices that translate into group dynamics. Since the interest is focused on observing the phenomena that emerge in a specific context such as the school environment, I started this journey by historically retracing the evolution that led to today’s school reality.

Thus, the school reflects the population's needs at a given moment. Its changing needs have allowed for constant change over time, and fast-forwarding to the present day, we once again witness the need for new changes, this time in response to the phenomenon of migration, which has created new dynamics among students, with an increase in the presence of new ethnicities and cultures in schools.

Thus, the multicultural school emerges, which aims to create inclusive educational environments that respect the cultural differences of students. In addition to schooling, there is another significant aspect concerning the phenomenon of migration. Regarding the Italian reality, two distinct phenomena can be observed: emigration, which has led Italians to move to foreign countries (outbound), and the reverse phenomenon that has seen an influx of migration flooding our country (inbound). It is the latter that we will focus on the most. Setting aside the historical path and how it has developed, the greatest interest lies in the effects that arise from this phenomenon, both in terms of the destination country, which sees the need to develop new social and economic policies to adapt to the new needs present in the territory, and for all those aspects that concern the migrant themselves, ranging from mental health needs to inclusion, social acceptance, as well as aspects related to healthcare, education, and employment.

In particular, the identity of the migrant is observed and studied by identifying the aspects that are most affected by the stress of a radical change in life. Trauma and stress, as well as depression and PTSD, are realities that migrants must cope with, along with social isolation. All of these elements can have long-lasting effects on an individual's life if they are not identified and treated. Identification is often the challenging part due to a combination of difficulties that complicate the process, which I will delve into more thoroughly in the following paragraphs.

Speaking of migration, it cannot be separated from the multifactorial component associated with it, which involves variables such as family, social condition, cultural, economic, and linguistic factors. Through literature, I will attempt to substantiate theories that address the many aspects related to this phenomenon.

I will then delve into a specific aspect of identity formation, specifically that of the migrant child, in order to understand which processes are activated and what types of outcomes can be expected. Although this topic has not yet received much attention in the relevant Italian scientific literature through systematic and methodical studies, it has been possible to find international psychological studies that have extensively addressed this phenomenon, and I will provide a detailed review of them later.

Processes such as social perception, categorization, and social schemas have been analytically and appropriately addressed to support the understanding of the mechanisms that we will later encounter when discussing groups, their dynamics, and the effects that being part of a group can have on an individual's life.

This study will refer to classic theories in social psychology, such as social identity theory (Tajfel, 1979) or the theory of conformity (Asch, 1951), in order to provide a theoretical framework that allows us to understand the basic mechanisms involved in group dynamics. Additionally, numerous other studies explaining the further processes involved in the behavioral differentiations adopted by individuals belonging to different ethnicities or groups are also reported.

An extensive section will also be dedicated to the group and the phenomena that arise from it, from its formation to the dynamic processes that animate it, with particular attention to the group in the school context. Subsequently, the topic of social influences, both from the majority and minority, will be addressed with interest, in order to understand the forces that can act and thus explain how certain behaviors can emerge within a specific context such as the school, which can involve group members. In particular, scientific studies on the formation of adaptive and maladaptive behaviors by minority groups will be presented, identifying their causes and possible solutions.

Suffering threatens us from three directions:

from our bodies, which are destined to decay and disintegrate;

From the external world, which can unleash ruthless and overpowering destructive forces upon us;

From or relationships with other human beings.

The suffering that originate from the last source is experienced by us more painful than any other.

(Sigmund Freud)

PART I

The individual

Chap. 1 - Schooling

1.1 The history of schooling

The school, as we know it today, is definitely very different from what it was in the past. The path that has brought us here has been long and there are many events that have taken place and that have allowed the development of the modern school.

Schooling refers to a process of developing and expanding school research and education. It is difficult to go back to a definite beginning, because rather there has been a gradual evolution over time and place over the centuries and in different fields of study interest.

However, some historical events more than others can be highlighted because they have contributed significantly to the evolution of the modern school. In particular, in Italy the schooling process has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages.

1.1.1 The middle age

Although when we think about the Middle Ages, we do it by imagining that this historical period was synonymous with decay both for culture and for education, even more because it followed the Roman era, which was the cradle of very important revolutions which we still enjoy today privileges, however, although in Western Europe knowledge and teaching were the patrimony of a few, it was precisely in this period, albeit through a long and articulated period, that the foundations were laid for what school is today as we are used to seeing it .

Let us first clarify this period: the historical period known as the High Middle Ages in Europe ranges from the 8th to the 11th century, while the Low Middle Ages ranges from the 11th to the 14th century and the main difference between these two periods lies mainly in the social development , economic, political and indeed cultural of Europe.

During the early Middle Ages, Europe was recovering from the fall of the Roman Empire and witnessed a renaissance of cities, the birth of more solid monarchies and the formation of an emerging merchant class. In this period, art and culture flourished under the protection of the monks and the Church.

During the Late Middle Ages, Europe went through a period of uncertainty and change, with the Black Death which caused the death of millions of people, the wars between monarchies and the economic crisis. In this period, the Church and the merchants became increasingly powerful, while the peasantry remained oppressed. Despite these changes, art and culture continued to thrive during this period, thanks to the development of literature, science and philosophy. In reference to our schooling path, the Early Middle Ages are important, because as anticipated before, Europe must reorganize itself following the fall of the Roman Empire and therefore the collapse of the ancient school system and the consequent settlement in the western territories of the Germanic populations , these in fact poured into the borders of the now fallen empire, reorganizing into new Roman-Germanic states, and since they were peoples characterized by an oral culture and a youthful formation that aspired exclusively to military preparation, the progress came to decline since established by the Roman Empire. There was a significant decline in the school. Most of the knowledge and culture of antiquity was lost, and formal education was limited to the privileged few who could afford frequent monastic schools. In a few decades, the changes that took place led to the disappearance of the ancient public school in the western area, thus creating the necessary conditions for the gradual creation of a new school system.

Meanwhile, the European monarchies acquired stability and strength and this allowed the birth of an emerging merchant class which led to an increase in the importance of education and the creation of new schools. However, education was still reserved and limited to a privileged few and the majority of the population remained illiterate.

In this climate in which the shortcomings of civil institutions in