This monograph analyses and describes successful educational actions with a specific focus on vulnerable groups (i.e. youth, migrants, cultural groups e.g. Roma, women, and people with disabilities). Concrete data that shows success in school performance in subject matters such as math or language will be provided, as well as children, teachers and families accounts of the impact of this success. Alongside, there is an analysis of the relationship between these children’s educational performance with their inclusion or exclusion from different areas of society (i.e. housing, health, employment, and social and political participation). Many studies have already diagnosed and described the causes of educational and social exclusion of these vulnerable groups. This monograph, however, provides solutions, that is, actions for success identified through the INCLUD-ED project, thus providing both, contrasted data and solid theoretical background and development. Some examples of these actions are interactive groups (or heterogeneous grouping in the classroom with reorganisation of human resources), extension of the learning time, homework clubs, tutored libraries, family and community educative participation, family education, or dialogic literary gatherings. All these actions have been defined as successful educational actions, which mean that they lead to both efficiency and equity. Finally, recommendations for policy and practice are included and discussed.

The first fully comparative empirical analysis of the relationship between education and social cohesion, this book develops a new 'distributional theory' of the effects of educational inequality on social solidarity. Based on extensive analysis of data on inequality and social attitudes for over 25 developed countries.

The Education Committee conducts a forum on topical issues each year. This forum discussed some of the education problems facing European societies today: rising illiteracy rates; school dropouts and inadequately prepared school leavers; declining confidence in schools and other institutions; unequal access to education; pockets of gender inequality. Suggested measures to counteract these problems included: public-private partnerships, involving the business community and industry with schools; emphasis on social development rather than economic growth; promoting citizenship participation through curricula and the learning environment; education systems providing moral and ethical education and lifelong learning.

This volume has three foci - the rationale for considering how aspects of education can affect social cohesion; case studies that review particular country experiences with curricula and textbooks; and practical guidelines and applications to help countries improve areas of education.

After celebrating 50 years of independence, Singapore is focused on the question of what the future may bring. The future is neither predetermined nor random. How the chapter turns out will be affected by many economic and social forces, but much will also depend on how Singapore and Singaporeans choose to contribute to it.Singapore is likely to do well if important unresolved issues can be identified and addressed, especially those that require some mindset changes in individuals, the community and the government. Several questions have become more salient in recent years as Singapore society underwent significant changes. What does the future hold for Singapore society? Can people in Singapore really respect and embrace diversity of views and mindsets for a better society? How can the nation develop a diversity that enhances innovation, addresses issues, maintains social cohesion and contributes to people's well-being? What are some ways to build social-psychological capital in individuals and communities to develop a strong society that is resilient to shocks, failures and unmet expectations? Is it possible to move from a society where the role of government is dominant in many areas to one where individuals and communities step up to co-create whole-of-society solutions?This book, based on the proceedings at the Behavioural Sciences Institute Conference 2016, explores these and other issues about the social futures of Singapore. The book is organized into four parts. Part I provides an overview of issues involved in thinking about the social futures of Singapore society. Part II examines social futures from the perspectives of healthcare and education. Part III analyses the relationships linking social futures to the notion of giving and the increasing influence of social media. Part IV addresses specific questions on social futures of Singapore society in terms of social and national identities, cultural values, relationship between economic development and environmental sustainability, religious consciousness, perceptions of political leaders, and relationships between people and government.

What would the civic relationship between citizens in a socially cohesive society look like? What models might we use to educate young people to support developing these bonds? Do these different models have different implications for how we structure the bonds that support a civic relationship? Philosophical Perspectives on Social Cohesion challenges the basis of how we characterize civic bonds and how we best organize schools to encourage and develop them. Mary Healy argues that metaphors and social imaginaries often give a framework for considering our interrelatedness. She re-examines the metaphor of fraternity, used as a precursor to elements of the 'Big Society', arguing that such attempts to align fraternity with liberty are mistaken and that equality plays a vital role. At a time of increasing diversity of school provision, this pertinent book indicates the connection between how we organize school structures and the models of citizenship we value.