Teachers’ understandings of affective nationalism in a conflict-affected society: pedagogical and political implications

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to explore how teachers understand the role of affects and emotions in manifestations of the nation and nationalism in schools. In particular, the paper examines how teachers’ political orientations – conservative or progressive – are entangled with their understandings of ‘affective nationalism.’ To do so, the authors use data from an exploratory qualitative study with 21 Greek-Cypriot primary and secondary school teachers, who were interviewed about their understandings of nationalism, affect and school practices in the context of ethnically divided Cyprus. The longstanding Cyprus conflict fuels intense national feelings that are manifested in school commemorations, practices, and policies, hence the study explores the extent to which teachers understand these manifestations as affective nationalism. The findings show that teachers’ political orientations are intertwined with how teachers view and evaluate nationalism and its affective dimensions. The analysis provides insights into the different pedagogical and political visions that compete at the intersections of affect, nation, and nationalism in schools.