Contact with a multicultural past a prejudice-reducing intervention

This paper introduces the notion of contact with a multicultural past as a new type of vicarious intergroup contact. It presents results of a study which evaluated the effects of an educational program utilizing the proposed framework. The program aimed to facilitate the engagement of Polish students (N = 427) with historical Jewish heritage in their places of residence. The intervention proved highly successful at increasing students’ interest in local history which led to an increased inclusion of the outgroup (Jews) in the self and to more positive attitudes towards them. The implications of using contact with a multicultural past in societies with low levels of direct intergroup contact are discussed.