In this paper we will investigate which individual and contextual elements play part in ethnocentric feelings of Belgian adolescents. The focus will be on the effect of faith-based schools on negative attitudes towards other ethnic groups. Using schools to explain ethnocentrism among adolescent could mean an important contribution to previous research, because schools can be considered as an essential setting where liberal values are taught . A topic that in this stance is reoccurring is educating pupils to be more tolerant towards other cultural groups. We expect a strong distinction between Belgian public and private (Catholic) schools concerning the outcome of citizenship education, and more specifically lowering ethnocentrism, for two reasons. First of all, there is a difference in the underlying value system between the two school types. While Catholic schools propagate Christian values, public schools must keep a neutral position at all times. It can therefore be claimed that public and Catholic schools will stress different subjects in the education of democratic values and consequently, the outcomes will differ between the school types. Secondly, public schools are, more than private schools, considered to be the key institution to teach tolerance to pupils. Consequently, we will hypothesize that pupils in Catholic schools have more negative attitudes towards ethnic minorities than pupils in private schools. This hypothesis will be tested within a representative sample of Belgian adolescents (n=2,341) by means of multilevel analysis. Using this analysis technique will enable us to control for both individual and school level characteristics, such as religiosity, diversity of school, social class, etc. Our results indicate that pupils of Catholic schools take a more negative stance towards other ethnic groups than pupils in private schools, even when controlling for a number of variables.
