International discourses of inclusion and their local translation: Teachers' conceptions regarding an integration-inclusion reform in the canton of Bern (Switzerland)

Abstract

The inclusive paradigm is an international movement promoted by UN agencies such as UNESCO, influencing the educational policies of certain countries. Switzerland is among the countries that have initiated reforms to make their educational system more inclusive. These reforms have implications for teachers. The objective of this article is to report on teachers' conceptions regarding the ongoing integration-inclusion reform in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. A qualitative methodology was employed, based on 13 interviews conducted and analyzed in light of the theoretical framework of social change. The results highlight that, beyond a principled adherence, teachers' shared conceptions are resistant to integration-inclusion. These conceptions reveal inherent tensions within the inclusive paradigm and its development in educational systems susceptible to other international political influences, such as new public management and neoliberalismo.