Ethnographic Research in Multicultural Educational Contexts as a Contribution to Intercultural Dialogue

Abstract

In this article, the author argues that the Council of Europe White Paper's invitation to intercultural dialogue is certainly to be welcomed and pursued, but that its focus on ‘managing’ diversity should be complemented by the concern for understanding how diversity can be represented, negotiated and treated by the different actors in multicultural educational contexts. After pointing out that intercultural education has been chosen by Italian educational authorities to respond to the unforeseen prospects and challenges of multicultural classrooms, the author illustrates how ethnographic research is not only relevant for acknowledging and interrogating diversities but also for problematizing the conceptual foundations of educational policies and aims. She further argues that ethnographic research provides fieldworkers and the subjects of research with an effective opportunity to engage in an intercultural dialogue.