Università degli studi di Milano Università degli studi di Torino Dip. di Scienze Sociali e Politiche Dip. di Culture, politica e società PhD PROGRAM SOCIOLOGY AND METHODOLOGY OF SOCIAL RESEARCH – 29th cohort SETTORE SCIENTIFICO SPS/08 In and out of catchment areas Between avoidance and multiculturalism: exploring the transition to lower secondary school in Milan Doctoral dissertation by Cristina Cavallo Supervisor: Prof. Manuela Olagnero Co-Supervisor: Prof. Cristina Solera Director of Doctoral Program: Prof. Mario Cardano Milan, 23rd May 2013 “Nel 2000 ho organizzato un seminario dedicato a questa vicenda, la fuga degli iscritti nativi, cioè quando tu sei in età di primaria, secondaria di primo grado, cosa succede in una città grande come milano? Dove le scuole sono abbastanza vicine l’una all’altra e dove non abbiamo dei veri e propri ghetti…ma abbiamo una presenza più distribuita… a macchia di leopardo. Sta succedendo questo e io urlo come cassandra da anni su questa vicenda, dico le scuole si stanno connotando come “due a due” vicine, scuole vicine, magari fanno addirittura dello stesso comprensivo (…) una scuola si sta connotando di serie A e una scuola di serie B (…). Che cosa succede quando una scuola comincia a superare una certa percentuale di stranieri? Succede questo, diventa una scuola “ah no qui non si svolgono i programmi perché ci sono gli stranieri”. Come se gli stranieri fossero tutti neoarrivati. Ormai il numero dei NAI è veramente ridicolo rispetto agli incrementi che abbiamo avuto negli anni passati. Però è successo questo a Milano e non ne vogliono prendere atto (…). Quanti anni ci vogliono perché una scuola diventa ghetto? Non è che si diventa ghetto da un momento all’altro, ci vogliono anni di incuria. Questo discorso tipico che io continuo a fare, forse dovrei essere più brava, non sono abbastanza convincente, la mia idea non è sostenuta da vere ricerche, sto sbagliando. Poi io sono un’insegnante non è che sono una ricercatrice, non sono un’accademica non ho gli strumenti per fare queste ricerche. Bisognerebbe farlo, perché dopo la boutade del tetto del 30% poi il discorso è caduto, è valso solo per un anno, fine. E quando invece a Milano sta succedendo proprio così che le scuole si stanno connotando a due a due come scuola di serie A e scuola di serie B.” (A.M) Aknowledgements The dissertation presented here is the result of almost four years of work, that has benefited from the contribution of different human beings met along the way. First of all, none of this work would have existed without cooperative principals’ that opened their schools’ doors and mothers and fathers that dedicated to me hours of their pretious time. To them goes my most sencere gratitidue. I would also like to thank Luca Sansone, for caring about my research and giving me the chance to enter the incredible world of the youth center. Thank you also to Judie that with him welcomed me and made me feel at home. Out of the fieldwork, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors Prof. Manuela Olagnero and Cristina Solera, for the continuous support since the beginning of my Ph.D. work and throughout the writing of the dissertation presented here. I would like to thank them for their patience, motivation, and knowledge. This work has greatly benefited from their expert guidance. Moreover, I would like to thank my Ph.D. coordinator and vice coordinator for providing us the chance to conduct and conclude our Ph.D. work in the best way possible. Besides them, my thanks go to who has contributed in different ways in supporting and encouraging me, providing interesting opportunities for discussion and clarification: Professor Paola Bonizzoni – an example of what academia should be and it is not YET – and Arcangela Mastromarco – a tireless and passionate teacher, activist and observer of schools and their dynamics. The story of this research, since its embrionyc stage, as well as my personal growth would not have been the same without the daily exchange with other Ph.D. colleagues, then become friends. They not only have always been ready to listen and provide support, but have played a pivotal role in my last four years’ life. Thank you Martina and Iraklis for being the amazing and brilliant people I have had the honor to meet. Gracias a Angie por su inteligencia y alegría que sigue acompañandome a pesar de la distancia. I am also grateful to all others collegues and scholars I have met through these years, in Via Pace and outside it, during conferences, in the bright days of Naples’ summer school as well as in the rainy days of Ljubljana. They all brought little pieces, of critique, suggestions, insights, that made the path worthed. Last but not least, I would like to thank my mom and dad, Andrea, Carlo and Alessandra for their love and comprehension, especially in the last stressful months. I want to thank Claudia and Roberta, incredible women at my side in the past 30 years and now through whatsapp groups, crying for all the strength that your story and حبيبي for help and voodoo dolls. Finally, thank you Mahmoudi life brought into mine and for your deep love beyond words. 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I – THE DEBATE ON PARENTS’ SCHOOL CHOICE AND SCHOOLING STRATEGIES ............................................................................................ 6 1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 6 1.2 Theoretical debate on educational transitions ....................................................... 8 1.2.1 The rational action theory: Boudon’s approach ...................................................... 9 The rational choice approach in educational research ................................... 10 1.2.2 The cultural reproduction theory: Bourdieu’s approach ....................................... 12 Moving from Bourdieu’s approach: Anglo-Saxon and French research on school choice as a (middle) class practice .................................................................... 14 1.3 Criteria behind parents’ school choice ................................................................. 16 1.3.1 School quality: academic performances and school population characteristics .. 17 1.3.2 School mix: “people like us” or “multiculturalism”? ........................................... 18 1.4 The decision-making process ................................................................................. 20 1.4.1 Information-gathering: the role of “hot” grapevine knowledge ........................... 21 1.5 Schools provision: the relevance of the local context .......................................... 23 1.6 School choice in practice ........................................................................................ 25 1.6.1 Parents’ schooling strategies: from avoidance to ‘staying local’ ......................... 26 Voting with the feet ....................................................................................... 26 Self-exclusion and exit .................................................................................. 27 Avoidance practices ....................................................................................... 27 Voice or colonization..................................................................................... 28 1.7 A released concept of rationality to explore parents’ choices ............................ 29 1.8 Approaching school choice as strategies ............................................................... 31 CHAPTER II – FROZEN IN THE MIDDLE: LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL CHALLENGES WITHIN THE ITALIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM ..................... 34 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 34 2.2 Italian educational system: historical overview and latest interventions .......... 35 2.2.1 1962 middle school reform: an attempt to go from selection to socialization ...... 37 2.2.2 1969 to 1979: towards an effective democratization of the system ...................... 38 2.2.3 Late 1990s to the present day: the emergence of neoliberalist discourse cross- cutting educational reforms ............................................................................................. 40 2.2.4 School Autonomy lexicon: how it works in practice ............................................ 42 2.3 Italian schools between old and new challenges .................................................. 44 2.4 Lower secondary school choice: a new territory at the light of freedom of choice 47 2.4.1 Why lower secondary school choice in Italy is worth exploring .......................... 49 Segregation within Italian schools at the lowest level of education .............. 51 CHAPTER III – RESEARCH DESIGN ......................................................................... 55 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 55 3.2 Research aims and methods .................................................................................. 56 3.3 The local dimension of the research ...................................................................... 57 3.3.1 The setting: Milan ................................................................................................. 57 3.3.2 The sampling strategy: lower secondary schools.................................................