BOCYF Completed Project

Respect for Diversity: Promoting Peaceful, Respectful Relations Among Youth

Publication: Improving Intergroup Relations Among Youth: Summary of a Research Workshop (2000)

On November 9-10, 1998, the Forum on Adolescence convened a workshop entitled "Research to Improve Intergroup Relations Among Youth." Workshop participants reviewed the knowledge base on the effectiveness of interventions designed to promote positive interactions among youth of different ethnic groups and prevent intergroup conflict and violence. Sixteen researchers who received grants from the Carnegie Corporation of New York described their use of a variety of methodologies to yield information about intergroup relations among elementary, middle, and senior high school students. This meeting will yield a summary report, anticipated to be available in the summer of 1999.

This workshop was envisioned to be the first of a number of activities as part of an initiative entitled, "Respect for Diversity: Promoting Peaceful, Respectful Relations Among Youth." This initiative seeks to foster a dialogue among researchers, policy makers, educators, and service providers to strengthen the nation's capacity to prevent conflict and promote positive relations among youth of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Activities that may be pursued include research symposia, a national conference, and a series of regional policy briefings.