Peer-reviewed article

Repertoires on diversity among primary school children

Imane Kostet, Gert Verschraegen, Noël Clycq · 1 Mar 2020

Abstract

This article examines how children in super-diverse schools draw on cultural repertoires to construct ethno-cultural similarities and differences. Based on 47 interviews, we show how, first, children talk about diversity as a commonplace aspect of daily life. Second, we describe how cosmopolitan arguments are used to make sense of diversity. The third repertoire focusses on ‘otherness’ and emphasizes the ‘cultural frictions’ that would stem out of diversity. Finally, we describe how some children share a strong belief in group disadvantages.