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Article
Ten hypotheses about tolerance among Latin American adolescents
Citizenship, Social and Economics Education (2012)
  • Daniel H Caro, University of Oxford
  • Wolfram Schulz, ACER
Abstract

Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, race, mental and/or physical disability, religious background, HIV/AIDS status, and ethnic origin affects the well-being of minorities and society in general. Recent research in North America underscores the importance of contact with diverse networks, intergroup discussions, a social dominance orientation, religious beliefs, and the school climate, among other factors, to explain tolerance for minorities. Theoretical and empirical work in Latin America is less extensive and has been limited by the lack of quantitative data. This article evaluates 10 different hypotheses about tolerance, using data from eighth-grade students in six Latin American countries that participated in the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study in 2009. Overall, the results provide support for most hypotheses. Notably, countries with relatively more positive views of minorities tend to exhibit very small differences in tolerance attitudes among students of varying socio-demographic characteristics and, apparently, also more effective mechanisms for promoting tolerance through schools.

Keywords
  • Minorities,
  • Discrimination,
  • Socio-demographic characteristics,
  • Civics and citizenship,
  • Students,
  • Education
Publication Date
2012
Citation Information
Daniel H Caro and Wolfram Schulz. "Ten hypotheses about tolerance among Latin American adolescents" Citizenship, Social and Economics Education Vol. 11 Iss. 3 (2012)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/wolfram_schulz/48/