Visualizing Identity: The Potential of Identity Portraits in Developing Inclusive Teaching Selves in Times of Postconflict Reconciliation

Abstract

War and conflict between and within nations are defining characteristics of human history, and these impacts are directly felt in education. When classrooms around the world experience conflict firsthand, undergo processes of postconflict reconciliation, become transit points for students fleeing war-torn homes, or receive students holding refugee status, how can teachers be assisted to reflect on their own identities so that they could develop more inclusive teaching selves that might help them to appreciate their students’ experiences? This article highlights the potential of identity portraits or self-generated identity texts to help teachers articulate their identities and responsibilities toward their learners. Set against the larger processes of reconciliation that took place at the end of one of the longest civil wars in modern times, this study draws data generated through a multisite inquiry in Sri Lanka.