The Development of Prejudice in Children: The Case of Cyprus

Abstract

Ioannou and Kassianos discuss the concept of prejudice and how it develops in children through the lens of different developmental theories. The authors use these theoretical foundations to examine prejudice development among Greek and Turkish Cypriot children in Cyprus. They do this by reviewing the main studies investigating the onset and the nature of prejudice among Greek and Turkish Cypriot children and critically discuss these studies against the backdrop of the Cypriot socio-political context. In the last part of the chapter Ioannou and Kassianos discuss how existing theories of prejudice development can not only inform the case of Cyprus but can also be informed by it. The authors conclude by offering a set of recommendations about addressing prejudice in childhood through research and education.