National Integration in Fiji: Impact of Ethnic Interaction in Primary Education

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K02575
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09020:Sociology of education-related
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: Segawa Noriyuki 近畿大学, 国際学部, 教授 (10388332)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: フィジー / 民族 / 教育 / 国民統合 / Contact Theory / 民族間交流 / アイデンティティ / 民族分離

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To examine inter-ethnic relationships within primary schools, surveys were conducted among students in 21 primary schools in Fiji (including those planned for future implementation). The schools were classified into three categories based on the proportion of indigenous Fijians (iTaukei) or Indo-Fijians among the total student population: strongly ethnically homogenous tendency, ethnically homogeneous tendency, and multiethnic tendency. The impact of the level of inter-ethnic interaction on inter-ethnic relationships was analysed. It was found that, overall, regardless of the ethnic composition within the schools, there was little prejudice against other ethnic groups, and tolerance was high, indicating that inter-ethnic relationships were generally good. However, it was also revealed that prejudice against other ethnic groups increased, and tolerance towards other ethnic groups decreased, as the tendency towards an ethnically homogeneous environment strengthened.

Free Research Field

国際政治、国際関係、比較政治学、民族関係

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究には3つの意義がある。(1)フィジーの国民統合の発展へ向けての一つの方向性（民族間交流促進の重要性）を示したという点で非常に大きな意義がある。(2)フィジーにとどまらず、国家建設過程にある諸多民族国家に国民統合プロセスの1つのモデル、新たな可能性を提示しうるものであり、また諸多民族国家における教育政策の立案において広く貢献する。(3)Contact Theoryの実証研究は多くのものが先進国を事例として行われており、発展途上国フィジーでの検証を行った本研究は、同理論の発展に寄与するものである。