Cultural Diversity and the Governance of School Policies in Italy and in France. A Comparative Analysis of the National Regulations

In Italy, non-Italian pupils represent 9.4% of school population and 61% of them were born in Italy; in France, allophone students are 0.56% in first and second-degree enrolment (Rosenwald, 2017). Our work reflects upon the dimensions and strategies identified by the Italian and French school systems to manage cultural diversity. Our focus is exclusively on school policy concerning cultural diversity, adopted by the Ministries of Education of both countries: in particular, our paper aims at illustrating value orientations, guidelines and target groups identified by these policies. Our theoretical reflection starts from a comparative perspective, adopting the study approach to integration policies, proposed by Penninx and Garcés-Mascareñas (2016) and the interpretative approach to public action, proposed by Moini (2013), and adapting them to analysis of public policies relating to school. Firstly, we provide a short review of the school policies concerning cultural diversity in Italy and France; later, we develop an analysis of these policies, highlighting elements of similarity and/or divergence between the two countries.