Stalo Lesta - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Stalo Lesta
Int. Migration & Integration , 2011
The present paper focuses on the stances and repertoires of 30 Greek- Cypriot students with whom ... more 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.
Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2016
Abstract The present paper takes the approach of critical hermeneutics in human rights education ... more Abstract The present paper takes the approach of critical hermeneutics in human rights education (HRE) that has been developed theoretically and tries to operationalize it in pedagogical practice. In particular, a group of Greek-Cypriot teachers were trained in a series of workshops on how critical hermeneutical approach (CHA) could be taught in the context of HRE. The paper explores teachers’ difficulties with and perspectives of CHA during the training designed and offered by the authors. The findings show how, in addition to epistemological issues involved concerning the meaning and implications of the CHA, the particularities of the local context (ethnic conflict, pedagogic traditions, educational structures) influenced the uptake of this approach. The implications are discussed in relation to the need to identify the difficulties teachers have with specific pedagogical approaches of HRE as they become manifest contextually, and the need to design teacher training in which teachers have opportunities to reflect upon and engage with these difficulties through a critical interpretive lens.
Human Rights Review, 2014
A large body of work in recent years has examined different scholarly conceptualizations of human... more A large body of work in recent years has examined different scholarly conceptualizations of human rights (Dembour 2006) and various approaches in Human Rights Education (HRE), particularly in relation to practical ways of implementing HRE programs in formal and informal education (Bajaj 2011a; Banks 2008; Osler and Starkey 2010; Tibbits 2002). However, few studies have sought to systematically examine teachers’ understandings of human rights and HRE in specific contexts (Messina and Jacott 2013) and explore possible links between teachers’ understandings of human rights and human rights teaching. As education policy studies have demonstrated, teachers have a central and decisive role in interpreting a policy and translating it into everyday practices (Ball 1998; Hill 2001; Walshaw and Anthony 2007). With the growing interest in HRE and the ongoing debates around the conceptualization of human rights and HRE, e.g., around the definition of human rights as universal entitlements or socio-political constructs, it becomes important to take a careful look at how teachers, who are called upon to implement HRE programs, understand human rights and human rights teaching (Cassidy et al. 2013). Taking this assumption as a point of departure in the context of conflict-ridden Cyprus, this paper investigates the ways in which a group of Greek-Cypriot primary school teachers interprets the meaning of human rights and HRE. Cyprus has been and remains deeply divided due to the protracted nature of conflict between the two main communities of the island, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus has been a divided society, since violent intercommunal clashes in 1963–1967; in 1974, Turkey Hum Rights Rev (2015) 16:161–182 DOI 10.1007/s12142-014-0331-5
Sex Education, 2008
and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Journal of International Migration and Integration / Revue de l'integration et de la migration internationale, 2011
... Would I like it if I went to school in a different country and all anyone ever did was be ang... more ... Would I like it if I went to school in a different country and all anyone ever did was be angry at me and treat me with disrespect? I don't think I'd like that. Girl 5, Urban Lefkosia, Elementary school (positive) We can learn from the good examples migrant children set. ...
The present article aims to examine the interplay between the transnational discourses of human r... more The present article aims to examine the interplay between the transnational discourses of human rights and the particularities of local constructions and conceptualisations of human rights within the context of an ethnically divided society, Cyprus. Specifically, this interplay is examined through a qualitative study of Greek-Cypriot primary school teachers’ understandings of human rights and human rights teaching in Greek-Cypriot schools, focusing on the tensions that seem to arise between transnational and ethno-nationalist discourses of human rights. The findings show that Greek-Cypriot teachers seem to ‘reframe’ universalist perspectives of human rights in response to local demands that foreground conflict-related violations suffered by the Greek-Cypriot community, while backgrounding human rights violations experienced by ‘others’. A few teachers, though, realize how conflict may limit understandings of human rights and project a different interpretation that acknowledges the s...
Int. Migration & Integration , 2011
The present paper focuses on the stances and repertoires of 30 Greek- Cypriot students with whom ... more 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.
Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2016
Abstract The present paper takes the approach of critical hermeneutics in human rights education ... more Abstract The present paper takes the approach of critical hermeneutics in human rights education (HRE) that has been developed theoretically and tries to operationalize it in pedagogical practice. In particular, a group of Greek-Cypriot teachers were trained in a series of workshops on how critical hermeneutical approach (CHA) could be taught in the context of HRE. The paper explores teachers’ difficulties with and perspectives of CHA during the training designed and offered by the authors. The findings show how, in addition to epistemological issues involved concerning the meaning and implications of the CHA, the particularities of the local context (ethnic conflict, pedagogic traditions, educational structures) influenced the uptake of this approach. The implications are discussed in relation to the need to identify the difficulties teachers have with specific pedagogical approaches of HRE as they become manifest contextually, and the need to design teacher training in which teachers have opportunities to reflect upon and engage with these difficulties through a critical interpretive lens.
Human Rights Review, 2014
A large body of work in recent years has examined different scholarly conceptualizations of human... more A large body of work in recent years has examined different scholarly conceptualizations of human rights (Dembour 2006) and various approaches in Human Rights Education (HRE), particularly in relation to practical ways of implementing HRE programs in formal and informal education (Bajaj 2011a; Banks 2008; Osler and Starkey 2010; Tibbits 2002). However, few studies have sought to systematically examine teachers’ understandings of human rights and HRE in specific contexts (Messina and Jacott 2013) and explore possible links between teachers’ understandings of human rights and human rights teaching. As education policy studies have demonstrated, teachers have a central and decisive role in interpreting a policy and translating it into everyday practices (Ball 1998; Hill 2001; Walshaw and Anthony 2007). With the growing interest in HRE and the ongoing debates around the conceptualization of human rights and HRE, e.g., around the definition of human rights as universal entitlements or socio-political constructs, it becomes important to take a careful look at how teachers, who are called upon to implement HRE programs, understand human rights and human rights teaching (Cassidy et al. 2013). Taking this assumption as a point of departure in the context of conflict-ridden Cyprus, this paper investigates the ways in which a group of Greek-Cypriot primary school teachers interprets the meaning of human rights and HRE. Cyprus has been and remains deeply divided due to the protracted nature of conflict between the two main communities of the island, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus has been a divided society, since violent intercommunal clashes in 1963–1967; in 1974, Turkey Hum Rights Rev (2015) 16:161–182 DOI 10.1007/s12142-014-0331-5
Sex Education, 2008
and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study pu... more and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.
Journal of International Migration and Integration / Revue de l'integration et de la migration internationale, 2011
... Would I like it if I went to school in a different country and all anyone ever did was be ang... more ... Would I like it if I went to school in a different country and all anyone ever did was be angry at me and treat me with disrespect? I don't think I'd like that. Girl 5, Urban Lefkosia, Elementary school (positive) We can learn from the good examples migrant children set. ...
The present article aims to examine the interplay between the transnational discourses of human r... more The present article aims to examine the interplay between the transnational discourses of human rights and the particularities of local constructions and conceptualisations of human rights within the context of an ethnically divided society, Cyprus. Specifically, this interplay is examined through a qualitative study of Greek-Cypriot primary school teachers’ understandings of human rights and human rights teaching in Greek-Cypriot schools, focusing on the tensions that seem to arise between transnational and ethno-nationalist discourses of human rights. The findings show that Greek-Cypriot teachers seem to ‘reframe’ universalist perspectives of human rights in response to local demands that foreground conflict-related violations suffered by the Greek-Cypriot community, while backgrounding human rights violations experienced by ‘others’. A few teachers, though, realize how conflict may limit understandings of human rights and project a different interpretation that acknowledges the s...