The Influence of Education on Community Cohesion: Adaptation of Policy to Practice

ABSTRACT

In the last 15 years, social and community cohesion have become key concepts in European social, migration, and education policy. Although their definitions often remain ambiguous, social and community cohesion typically refer to harmonious coexistence of individuals of all cultural backgrounds within a community. Frequently connected with education at the elementary and secondary level, they are regarded a desirable outcome of compulsory schooling. Drawing on longitudinal data from 2 schools in England, the authors analyze the interplay between national policies of community cohesion and local level practices. In a discussion of the findings, the authors show that, despite the gaps between national policy and local practice, parental and community members’ involvement in school and family education are efficient tools to enhance community cohesion at the local level.

Keywords:

• community
• elementary schools
• family education
• inclusion
• social cohesion

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank John Holford, Helena Pimlott-Wilson, and Thushari Welikala for their involvement in the project. We would also like to acknowledge the Includ-ED project and CREA. Portions of this research were also supported by the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at The George Washington University and the Maria H. Davis European Studies Endowment.