engleski

Friendships by the rule? Social norms about interethnic contact among ethnic minority and majority youth in Croatia

Social norms in general and interethnic contact norms in particular, have an important role in majority/minority relations. In-group norms about contact with the out-group describe and prescribe typical and appropriate intergroup interactions for in-group members and thus determine how, when and why intergroup contact take place. Since norms are context-specific regulators of behavior, the content of these norms is likely to vary across ethnic groups, in different multiethnic contexts, and with different reference groups. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the content of social norms regarding interethnic contact among majority Croats and four minorities that practice minority education in Croatia: Czechs, Hungarians, Italians and Serbs. In a series of focus groups with majority (15 focus groups) and minority (11 focus groups) youth of age 11-18 years we examined how participants in four majority/minority contexts perceive their in- group norms (parental, peer and school norms) about interethnic contact. The thematic analysis revealed that the perception of contact norms is rather congruent between majority and minority youth in all research contexts, although there are certain contextual differences in the content of these norms. In post-conflict settings of the city of Vukovar youth perceive widespread ethnic separation and lack of support for positive majority/minority interactions and friendships, especially in their school environment. In other, more harmonious, contexts ethnicity during contact is generally irrelevant ; contact norms are predominantly positive and inclusive. However, even in harmonious contexts the norms may vary depending on the nature of the contact with the outgroup (e.g. in romantic relationships). The results will be discussed by highlighting dynamics of different sources of normative influences in determining a make-up of ingroup-outgroup contacts and networks among majority and minority youth

social norms, intergroup contact, majority and minority youth

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