Addressing Societal Polarisation in Maltese Schools through Experimental Laboratories

Abstract

Maltese society is experiencing an increase in its diversity due to a booming economy and the position of the country in the Mediterranean, which are bringing different waves of migration to the island. Difficulties in the integration of these communities with the local community and tensions among them are some of the consequences of this phenomenon. Schools are in particular an important environment in which these tensions manifest themselves, and children from different backgrounds are increasingly polarized. Moreover, Malta, similar to the rest of Europe, is also increasingly more exposed to radical ideologies of various types, which are contributing to social polarisation. Furthermore, young people are often made more vulnerable and at risk of being exposed to these ideologies because of their intense use of social media. As part of the ARMOUR project, we have carried out qualitative research with first-line practitioners working with children and young people, including teachers, social workers, youth workers and police. The findings showed that practitioners are not prepared for this change and often are lacking the skills for properly addressing the ever-increasing polarisation. Teachers in particular called for increased training on how to address societal polarisation and encourage integration and inclusion in schools. Following the approach promoted by RAN EDU (Nordbruch 2016) the ARMOUR project has developed a series of exercises that – when used by first-line practitioners – can empower children and young people, making them less vulnerable to extreme ideologies, through the development and strengthening of critical thinking, as well as basic life skills and social competencies that are essential for active citizenship.