The Ethnic Identity and Inter-Ethnic Relations of Primary and Secondary School Students in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia A quantitative study & network analysis

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to measure ethnic identity and inter-ethnic relations of primary and secondary school students in Macedonia. Differences between students in mono-ethnic Albanian and Macedonian classrooms, and mixed ethnic classrooms were examined as well as differences between selfidentified ethnicity, region, gender. A sample of 410 primary (M age = 13) and secondary (M age = 18) school students from 18 different schools participated in this study. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire containing the Revised Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure [MEIM-R] (Roberts et al., 1999) with two subscales: exploration and affirmation, the Othergroup Orientatien scale [OGO scale] (Phinney, 1992), as well as a social network analysis in mixed ethnic classrooms. The results show that of the three largest ethnic groups: Albanian (n=196), Macedonian (n=166), Roma (n=26) the Roma scored significantly higher on the MEIM-R and OGO scale. Thus, the Roma student score higher on ethnic identity and show more willingness to interact with 2 other ethnic groups than the Albanian and Macedonian students. On the subscale exploration Macedonian students scored significantly lower and on the subscale affirmation the Albanians scored significantly lower than the Roma. Macedonian students have explored less of their ethnic background and Albanian students feel less connected to their ethnic group than the Roma students. Interaction effects where found between age and ethnic self-identification. It was also found that students studying in a mixed ethnic classroom showed more willingness to interact with other ethnic groups than students from mono-ethnic classrooms. However, in two of the five mixed ethnic classrooms there was ethnic segregation between students. These results indicate that there is more to integration than placing students from different ethnicities together in one classroom.