Navigating controversial issues: Greek-Cypriot primary students’ emotional and epistemic responses to conflict

This qualitative study investigates the emotional and epistemic responses of 16 Greek-Cypriot primary school students to controversial issues related to the Cyprus conflict. Drawing on interviews conducted before and after an intervention designed to mitigate ‘myside bias’ through the teaching of argumentation skills, the study examines how students make sense of the 1974 Turkish invasion and their encounters with Turkish settlers and Turkish-Cypriots. Findings show that while the Turkish invasion evokes intense emotions, students generally express openness toward contact with Turkish settlers and Turkish-Cypriots. Also, while one group of students reinforced emotional distance by maintaining a singular Greek-Cypriot perspective, another displayed greater openness to multiple perspectives, albeit often with ambivalence. The study highlights the challenges and possibilities of teaching controversial issues in divided societies through a lens that pays attention to both emotional dimensions and argumentation skills. The paper discusses the implications for peace education in conflict-affected contexts.