The analysis of school systems which, under the assumption of formal equality, do not correct, but rather legitimate, social differences, has a long tradition in educational research. This topic has been broadened and enriched through the discourse of equity. In effect, equity in education pivots on redistribution proportional to the needs of different groups. Achieving this goal requires strategies that improve educational attainment and eliminate all kinds of barriers, both tangible and intangible, relating to educational access. In the case of ethnic minorities and those of immigrant origin, these topics are exacerbated by their conditions of vulnerability. The objective of this introductory article is to present, from the perspective of access and equity, some keys to comprehend the situation of immigrant students as well as possible strategies to achieve higher levels of quality and social justice.

Este artículo examina la experiencia de un proyecto de educación intercultural en dos centros de educación primaria con presencia de alumnado extranjero muy poco significativa, numéricamente hablando. El objetivo del estudio es doble. En primer lugar, analizar el proceso de puesta en marcha de las actividades propuestas y en segundo lugar contribuir al debate teórico reflexionando sobre la noción de interculturalidad en el ámbito educativo desde un planteamiento de educación intercultural amplio, relacionado con la ciudadanía global y la educación para el desarrollo. Para el trabajo de campo se optó por un diseño metodológico cualitativo de índole exploratorio a partir de grupos de discusión (3 grupos) y cuadernos de registros del profesorado (10), que nos permitió analizar cuestiones teóricas de actualidad sobre el papel de la educación y constatar que, aunque el planteamiento intercultural se dirige tanto al alumnado autóctono como inmigrado, en general, se aprecia entre los docentes consultados una visión reducida de dicho concepto, identificando interculturalidad con población extranjera. Se distinguen tres visiones de interculturalidad: a) de tipo generalista; b) centrada en aspectos culturales, y c) enfoque de justicia social, que ofrece la oportunidad de profundizar en otros proyectos del centro como los relacionados con la educación en valores.

This special issue, entitled "Participatory methods in migration research", deals with the methodological challenges and ethical implications of applying participatory methods with migrant populations. Participatory research is often used as a general term for a variety of research projects using different methods, including action research, collaborative research, community-based research, co-creation or some arts-based projects. This special issue assumes that participatory research involves a different epistemology that allows for new insights, reflections and stories. Consequently, one of its main characteristics is the horizontal relationship between researchers and participants, based on the recognition of all the people involved as equal human beings collaborating on a particular research question. Through the SI, one of the themes that is discussed, from a variety of perspectives in the field of migration studies, is power distribution. The challenge is to achieve a more equal share of power among all those involved in the research process. From the set of articles presented here, another theme that emerges strongly is the struggle for social justice beyond the research process itself. The special issue contains a range of participatory research approaches in the field of migration studies from different parts of the word (Africa, Europe, USA) revealing a growing interest in these methodologies. 

The notion of vulnerability has acquired an important role in social policy debates. Therefore, the identification of vulnerable groups and their conditions is particularly important for the orientation of public policies and risk reduction. This article aims to offer a broad vision of the situation of European youth (15–29) using three dimensions of vulnerability (personal, economic and socio-cultural dimensions). To do so, we developed a multidimensional approach combining a system of indicators (N = 33) to contrast the evolution of the aforementioned dimensions among the European countries. Based on secondary analysis of quantitative data on European member states, we compared the evolution during two moments in time. The first period examined was 2012–2014, after the global financial crises but prior to the implementation of Youth Guarantee, whereas the second was the period which allowed for an examination of the latest updated data available (2017). Our results confirm territorial imbalances that affect the lives of European youth and their future opportunities. Northern countries led this scenario combining an inclusive education system with supportive labor market policies offering more opportunities to overcome risks. Although this multidimensional analysis is exploratory, its findings provide preliminary insight into the configuration of the dimensions of vulnerability in European youth.

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