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The Palgrave Handbook of Race and Ethnic Inequalities in Education pp 603–629Cite as

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Ireland: A Shift Towards Religious Equality in Schools

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Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the three main research traditions that have emerged in Ireland over the past four decades: (1) cultural and religious diversity in policy documents and research reports; (2) racism and education; and (3) the development of newer and more critical research agendas. Increasing migration-related diversity can be seen as a challenge for schools, especially in newly immigrant-receiving countries such as Ireland. Previously largely homogenous in cultural terms, teachers and school principals in Ireland are increasingly faced with the challenge of addressing the needs of all students and not favouring one group over another while acknowledging that schools should strive to create an environment where all children feel valued and views and learning of all students is supported. This chapter begins with an overview of the Irish educational system, and moves on to outline the main immigration phases and patterns including levels of diversity. It then discusses each of the three main research traditions we have identified in turn through a synthesis and analysis of the main literature available. In the final section, building on the identified main research traditions, we offer possibilities for researchers to engage in new directions of migration and educational research in Ireland, for instance around policy versus practice in schools.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Daniel Faas

  2. University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Rachael Fionda

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  1. Daniel Faas
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  2. Rachael Fionda
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Correspondence to Daniel Faas .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Peter A. J. Stevens

  2. Department of Sociology, The University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    A. Gary Dworkin

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Faas, D., Fionda, R. (2019). Ireland: A Shift Towards Religious Equality in Schools. In: Stevens, P.A.J., Dworkin, A.G. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Race and Ethnic Inequalities in Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94724-2_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94724-2_15

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