Pedagogic struggles to enhance inclusion and reconciliation in a divided community

Abstract

This article explores the successes and failures of teachers' pedagogies and school policies to establish a culture of inclusion and reconciliation at a shared secondary school in Cyprus—a school in which students from the two conflicting communities (Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots) are co-educated. Drawing on an ethnographic study based on interviews and observations of six teachers, interviews with students and the school principal, and observations of students' interactions inside and outside the classroom, it is shown that there is resistance to shared education and the formation of reconciliation pedagogies. While most teachers choose to avoid contentious issues rather than exploring them in order to prevent possible conflicts, a few others push for clear integration policies and pedagogies. It is argued that although these efforts are well-intentioned they simply reinforce existing divisions due to the lack of commitment to systemic structural change.

Keywords:

• reconciliation pedagogies
• shared schools
• Cyprus
• teachers
• inclusion

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the principal, the teachers and the students in the shared school for allowing my research team to conduct the study.