Intercultural attitudes, interests, and practices: A comparative empirical analysis for a democratic society

The dimensions of openness, active citizenship, and global awareness are recognized in both pedagogical and sociological literature, as well as in transnational policy-making, as fundamental to the development and consolidation of cooperation, respect, and social cohesion. This research thus draws on OECD-PISA 2018 data for carrying out a comparative analysis of intercultural practices experienced by students in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. After synthesizing three indices on intercultural communication, cross-cultural openness, and intercultural respect, multiple regression models are performed to estimate the relationships between school-level practices, attitudes, and individual ascriptive variables. The results highlight how cross-cultural teaching and practices positively affect students’ attitudes. Finally, the need for an integrated educational approach involving both families and communities is highlighted.