Mapping Cultural Diversity Through Children's Voices: From Confusion to Clear Understandings

• In Event: 66.058 - Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: 66.058-13 - Youth Voices in the Social Contexts of Educational Research

Abstract

This research examines children’s conceptualisations of cultural diversity by investigating the ways in which children define and understand the concept of cultural diversity and the implications of cultural diversity on their daily lives. To this end, interviews were carried out with 40 (immigrant and native) students, aged 11 to 12, of five primary schools in Cyprus, which presented high concentrations of immigrants. On the basis of our analysis of our data, the participant children appeared to perceive cultural diversity in terms of two contrasting perspectives; the cultural-deficiency and cultural-celebration perspectives. As the participant children appeared to confuse the meanings and the languages of cultural diversity, this paper concludes with suggestions on teacher practices to ‘crystalise’ children’s views.

Authors

• Christina Hajisoteriou, University of Nicosia Research Foundation

• Christiana Karousiou, University of Nicosia

• Panayiotis A. Angelides, University of Nicosia