The impressions of dialogues and their educational use

Abstract

This research study examines individual experiences of participants of Utrecht in Dialoog’s events. The purpose of this study is to document how young participants of Dialogues or participants related to the educational field experience dialogues, the potential usage of Dialogues as an educational tool and the self-perceived benefits that Dialogues could have on minimizing social polarization and maximizing social inclusion. A qualitative approach was selected as the research method for this study, through the use of twenty semi-structured interviews. Social polarization can damage social cohesion and slow down economic growth, leaving individuals and groups segregated, where social inclusion can enhance the feeling of belonging to the community and lead to less conflicts. The research findings indicate that social polarization is a worldwide issue, as much as it appears in the Dutch society and educational system. Striving for social inclusion is the goal of several municipalities and organizations alike and this research serves the purpose of identifying the prospects of using Utrecht in Dialoog’ methodology as an educational tool. However, the participants do not all share similar experiences of Dialogues as noted in the findings and are not all wishing for the methodology to be applied in the educational field unconditionally.