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The Impact of Social Mixing at School: Evidence From a French Desegregation Program

Author

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  • Azmat, Ghazala
  • Grenet, Julien
  • Huillery, Elise
  • Souidi, Youssef
  • Algan, Yann

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of school-level social mixing on social cohesion, socio-emotional development, and educational outcomes. We exploit variation induced by a French Ministry of Education desegregation program, comparing middle schools that increased socioeconomic mixing with observationally similar schools that did not. Focusing on the schools and students with the greatest baseline potential for increased mixing, we find that exposure to a more socioeconomically diverse peer group yields socio-emotional benefits for both high- and low-SES students and strengthens social cohesion, without negatively affecting the academic outcomes of either group. These findings offer actionable insights for policies aimed at fostering social cohesion in an era of rising polarization.

Suggested Citation

  • Azmat, Ghazala & Grenet, Julien & Huillery, Elise & Souidi, Youssef & Algan, Yann, 2026. "The Impact of Social Mixing at School: Evidence From a French Desegregation Program," CEPR Discussion Papers 21363, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:21363
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    File URL: https://cepr.org/publications/DP21363
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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