Greek-Cypriot Students’ Stances and Repertoires Towards Migrants and Migrant Students in the Republic of Cyprus

Abstract

The present paper focuses on the stances and repertoires of 30 Greek-Cypriot students with whom semi-structured, in-depth interviews were carried out about their feelings and perceptions of migrants and migrant children in Cyprus. As it is shown, stances are not the only key factor in the creation and reproduction of racial and ethnic categories; repertoires are also entangled with stances and can be broadly differentiated, highlighting the complex ways in which children and adolescents portray migrants and contribute to formulating the context of migrants’ reception in society. In addition, the diverse experiences of direct or no contact with migrants are entangled with perceptions of migrants as a whole and contribute to the reproduction of certain behavioural stances. Based on the analysis of students’ stances and repertoires, we discuss educational policies and practices that facilitate a better integration of migrant children in schools.