How tracking structures attitudes towards ethnic out-groups and interethnic interactions in the classroom: an ethnographic study in Belgium

Abstract

The influence of the ethnic composition of schools on interethnic relations and attitudes has been studied extensively and has received ample interest from policy makers. However, less attention has been paid to the structures and processes inside schools that organize interethnic relations and attitudes. In Flanders (Belgium), sec- ondary education is organized by grouping students in different tracks, which are hierarchically ordered and prepare students for different futures. Tracking in Flanders isintendedtogroupstudentsaccordingtotheirabilitiesbuttogetherwiththis,students are grouped according to their ethnic and socioeconomic background. In the present study, the interethnic relations and attitudes in each track will be explored, based on ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews in three multi-ethnic sec- ondary schools in one city. Our findings suggest that different patterns occur across three groups of tracks: the most appreciatedfields of study in academic, the intermedi- ary (less appreciated fields of study in academic and technical tracks) and vocational tracks. According to the relative sizes of ethnic groups and track specific charac- teristics, interethnic relations were characterized respectively by ethnic segregation, positive experiences of interethnic contact or ethnicconflict/tensions. Theethnic com-