Within the wider cultural context, the development of civic engagement (identity) among youths from non-dominant groups poses an ongoing challenge to societal institutions in many Western countries (Banks, 2008; Meer & Modood, 2009). The classroom in particular serves as a social space in which knowledge, meanings, and identities – ethnic, religious, cultural, and others - are discursively shaped and in which civic identities are continuously negotiated (Pinson, 2007). In all that relates to civic engagement and civic education, a return to cosmopolitanism has been suggested as a possible path to overcome assimilationist national policies (Banks, 2008; Beck, 2009; Nussbaum, 2002). The return to cosmopolitanism could be interpreted as working if not against at least in parallel to culturally-sensitive approaches. In the present study, however, we explore a methodology that combines both cultural sensitivity and cosmopolitanism. The study reports on findings of a qualitative study conducted with students in the second grade of secondary school in Spain and Israel. In the focus groups conducted, participants were asked questions regarding their civic, ethnic, and cultural identities, and on how they perceive the potential role schools have in their shaping and in allowing for an open dialogue among diverse religious, ideological, and cultural perspectives.

Banks, J. A.(2008). Diversity, group identity, and citizenship education in a global age. Educational Researcher, 37(3), 129-139. Beck, U. (2009). Critical theory of world risk society: A cosmopolitan vision. Constellations, 16(1), 3-22. Bekerman, Z., and Geisen T. (2011) International Handbook of Migration, Minorities and Education: Understanding Cultural and Social Differences in Processes of Learning. Springer. Janmaat, J. G. (2008). The civic attitudes of ethnic minority youth and the impact of citizenship education. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 34(1), 27-54. Kasinitz, P., Mollenkopf, J. H., Waters, M. C., & Holdaway, J. (2008). Inheriting the city: The children of immigrants coming of age. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. Meer, N., & Modood, T. (2009). The multicultural state we're in: Muslims,"multiculture"and the "civic re‐balancing"of British multiculturalism. Political Studies, 57(3), 473-497. Nussbaum, M. C. (2002). Patriotism and cosmopolitanism. In J. Cohen (Ed.), For love of country? (pp. 2-17). Boston, MA: Beacon. Pinson, H. (2007). Inclusive curriculum? Challenges to the role of civic education in a Jewish and democratic state. Curriculum Inquiry, 37(4), 351-382. Youniss, J. (2011). Civic education: What schools can do to encourage civic identity and action. Applied Developmental Science, 15(2), 98-103.