Paideia 2.0: the Italian high schools (licei) as a laboratory of socio emotional skills

Abstract

The landscape of Italian high schools (licei) has dramatically changed since the early 2000s. We have now eigth different high school types, each one characterized by a common core
curriculum, and various subjects depending on the chosen path: arts, foreign languages, music, human sciences ecc. We observe a gradual process of specialization of studies, which is diversifying students educational opportunities: on one hand, liceo classico and liceo scientifico – the “hard skills” high schools – have a strong cultural identity and tradition; on the other hand, the middle ground of the “soft skills” high schools, liceo artistico, musicale, delle scienze umane. Different kind of students are destined to different high school paths, as a consequence of deep contradictions and inequalities that characterize the society in which education takes shape today.