Both scholars and politicians insist on the need to prepare society to deal with the challenges that cultural diversity, and globalization present to the development of a sense of a cohesive community (Castles & Miller, 993). Education has a pivotal role to play in meeting the Europe 2020 agenda of “generating smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU”.  In a European society which is increasingly multi-cultural and pluralistic, social cohesion and inclusion is a fundamental pre-requisite for growth, and sustainability.  Yet, within the liberal democratic tradition only a citizens devoid of any affiliation with ethnic, national and religious sub-groups is entitled to prima facie political equality (Mendus, 1989). For the most part this foundational perspective is still reflected in formal educational settings and creates tensions with minority and immigrant groups who sense their cultures and identities go unrecognized. Though multicultural efforts have been developed in most western educational setting the minimal literature on the impact of multicultural educational reform has yielded its fair share of debate and criticism, and has not always been encouraging (Freeman, 2000; Whitehead & Wittig, 2004) for it has been inclined to essentialize group differences. In spite of this drawback multicultural efforts cannot be abandoned for they are still acknowledged as pivotal for the constitution of an inclusive European society as stated by The European Council Paris Declaration (2015) which call for the development of intercultural civic and social competences, for the constitution of an inclusive society.

The suggested symposium brings together scholars from three countries which will critically discuss in their contributions different epistemological and pedagogical approaches towards the engagement of students in the process of   identity and culture  negotiations in educational settings while considering a variety of paradigmatic perspectives.  

BANKS J.A. et al. (2005) Democracy and Diversity: Principles and Concepts for Educating Citizens in a Global Age (Seattle, WA, University of Washington, Center for Multicultural Education). Castles, S. and Miller, M.J. 1993: The age of migration: international population movements in the modern world. London: Macmillan. NISBET, R. (1970): The Social Bond: An Introduction to the Study of Society New York, Alfred A. Knopf. NIESSEN, JAN et al. (2007), Migrant Integration Policy Index (Brussels, British Council - Migration Policy Group). NIESSEN, JAN (2000): Diversity and cohesion: New challenges for the integration of immigrants and minorities (Strasbourg, Council of Europe - European Cultural Foundation). NIESSEN, JAN; A. KRUYT (1997): «Integration», en Hans Vermeulen (ed), Immigrant Policy for a Multicultural Society, Brussels, Migration Policy Group, 15-51. 44-46.