The PRIN project seeks to explore and better understand the complex causes and consequences of school segregation in urban areas of Italy. School segregation refers to the separation of students based on various factors such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, or academic ability. This phenomenon has historically been underexamined in Southern European and Italian cities, mainly because the distribution of the population in these areas is more heterogeneous leading to low levels of residential segregation. As a result, the dynamics of segregation, especially within schools, have often been overlooked.
However, recent data has revealed that schools do not always mirror the population distribution across neighborhoods or cities. In fact, there can be significant disparities in the composition of students within schools, leading to concentrations of socio-economic disadvantage or higher proportions of ethnic minorities in some institutions. This imbalance in school populations can contribute to unequal educational outcomes and exacerbate existing social inequalities.
The project adopts a mixed-method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods, and focuses on multiple scales of analysis (from local neighborhoods to larger city-wide trends). The main aim is to investigate how the residential distribution of the population relates to the extent of school segregation. It examines how the mechanisms behind school choice (e.g., school choice) and institutional practices (e.g., policies or local regulations that influence school assignments) interact to shape these outcomes.
Through quantitative analysis, the project seeks to uncover the different ways in which the relationship between neighborhoods and schools plays out in various Italian cities. By comparing diverse urban contexts, the research highlights how local factors influence the levels of segregation within schools and the resulting educational achievements of students.
In addition, the qualitative aspect of the research provides deeper insights into the specific mechanisms that lead to school segregation. This is achieved by conducting case studies in two Italian cities: Milan and Bologna. Interviews with principals, teachers, and parents help to uncover how factors like school policies, household decisions, and the characteristics of the surrounding neighborhoods interact to shape the composition of student bodies in schools. This in-depth qualitative research allows for a more nuanced understanding of how social, economic, and territorial factors intertwine and impact students’ educational experiences.
The research focuses specifically on middle schools in mixed territories—areas that have both segregated and integrated schools—allowing researchers to compare how different school compositions emerge in similar environments.
Duration
15 October 2023 – 15 October 2025
Team LPS
Marta Cordini, Andrea Parma, Costanzo Ranci, Giulia Marroccoli, Francisco Gabriel Ferraioli Karamanian
Consortium
Catholic University of Milan, University of Bologna
Funding Body
Next Generation EU – MUR, call PNRR PRIN 2022