Ipgrave, Julia (2009) The language of friendship and identity : children's communication choices in an interfaith exchange. British Journal of Religious Education, Vol.31 (No.3). pp. 213-225. doi:10.1080/01416200903112292

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Abstract

The development of partnerships between schools and school children of different religious and cultural backgrounds is currently being promoted at national level in an attempt to encourage social cohesion in ethnically and religiously diverse societies. This article reports on one such partnership, a programme of email communication between children from primary schools in Leicester and East Sussex. It uses concepts of presence and space to analyse the different linguistic and paralinguistic devices children employ to construct their identities as friends and as representatives of their communities, and to project these identities across a cultural divide. Evaluation of the children's language choices identifies tensions and limitations as well as possibilities. The article makes use of Derrida's deconstruction of hospitality as it questions a too ready adoption of the discourse of friendship for children's intercultural encounter, and suggests that the development of a more sophisticated language of interest, politeness and respect provides them with a firmer foundation for positive and productive dialogue with religious difference.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BV Practical Theology > BV1460 Religious Education H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Institute of Education ( -2013)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Children -- Language, Children -- Religious life -- Great Britain, Friendship in children -- Great Britain, Cultural pluralism -- Great Britain, Interpersonal communication in children -- Great Britain
Journal or Publication Title:	British Journal of Religious Education
Publisher:	Routledge
ISSN:	0141-6200
Official Date:	September 2009
Dates:	Date Event September 2009 Published
Volume:	Vol.31
Number:	No.3
Number of Pages:	13
Page Range:	pp. 213-225
DOI:	10.1080/01416200903112292
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

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