Seeking the Inclusion of Minorities in a Multicultural Context: A Theoretical Review of Prejudice and Strategies to Reduce It

Abstract

We are currently witnessing the period of greatest migration movements in history. Although the reasons for this continuing flow of migrants are diverse and include war, geo-economic inequalities and others, one of the most remarkable consequences is the increasing concentration of minority groups in certain societies that become a multiethnic melting pot. In this context, the attitudes that members of these societies develop towards such groups are key to facilitating their integration and peaceful, harmonious and mutually beneficial coexistence. However, prejudice, defined as a negative evaluation of another social group, is inherent in all societies and particularly relevant when analyzing intergroup conflict. Furthermore, once formed, prejudice tends to be self-perpetuating throughout time and resistant to change. This paper aims to address this social problem through a theoretical review of prejudice and the different proposals to reduce it.