How the Turkish "other" is constructed in the Greek Cypriot classroom : the contribution of peace education in deconstructing the image of the Turkish enemy in Cyprus

Abstract

The image of the enemy can be constructed in the school classroom through a variety of mechanisms. This thesis takes Cyprus as an example and investigates how the Turkish enemy is constructed in the Greek Cypriot classroom, as a means to teach national identity. At the same time, the thesis examines how peace education practices can be applied to challenge the existing ethnocentric educational system and assist in deconstructing that image and in promoting reconciliation and trust between the two ethnic communities of the island. The findings of the thesis indicate that the educational curriculum and history teaching, promote ethnocentrism and the creation of stereotypes and prejudices against Turks and Turkish Cypriots that are seen as the homogenized category of the “Other” in Greek Cypriot Schools. It is argued that Peace Education can provide an alternative to the nationalistic discourse and it can contradict the existing practices that perpetuate the conflictive ethos and bring the two communities together. As a solution to the problem of ethnocentrism, the integration of the European Dimension in the Curriculum, the training of teachers, multiperspectivity in history teaching and the integration of Human Rights Education and Conflict Resolution Education in the curriculum are proposed.