A 'culturally unsafe' space? The Somali experienceof Christchurch secondary schools

摘要

School should be a 'culturally safe' place, particularly for those students inChristchurch who challenge the city's reputation as a culturally homogeneous space and arethus frequently open to discrimination. A case study focusing on Somali refugee adolescentshighlights that Christchurch's secondary schools – like those elsewhere in New Zealand –are not a culturally safe, certain space for all students but rather spatially reconstructinequalities of gender, class and ethnicity. Yet, Somali students are not passive victims, forthey have actively renegotiated these spaces within their schools with varying degrees ofsuccess.