Although nearly all of the world’s nations are signatories to the U.N.’s Declaration of the Rights of the Child, high levels of local conflict throughout the world imperil children’s schooling, their health and their lives. At the same time, high levels of international migration are increasing the need for people to understand and work with people with different cultural backgrounds. Many nations are thus encouraging schools to focus on intercultural education as a means to promote social harmony. Consequently, there is also growing interest in defining and promoting various conceptions of global citizenship.

For about 70 years, research and theory on the “contact hypothesis” has focused on prejudice reduction and improved intergroup relations as a consequence of bringing people from different groups together under conditions that foster communication and trust. In this chapter, we review recent research on intergroup contact with particular attention to the role that communications technologies can play in promoting and supporting positive contact. This work provides the foundation upon which the remaining chapters are built.