Images of “the other”: “the turks” in Greek Cypriot children’s drawings

The present study investigated how Greek-Cypriot children portray themselves, a Greek-Cypriot child and a Turkish child of the same age in terms of size, details shading and differences. Participants (boys, n = 14, girls, n = 20) aged 6 and 11 from a school in Limassol were asked to draw themselves, a Greek child and a Turkish child. Participants drew themselves significantly taller than a Greek-Cypriot child. The smallest figure drawn was the Turkish child. Furthermore, the Turkish figure drawn had darker shading, mostly a male- looking person and often included items such as a weapon. The results are discussed in line with studies on the analysis of children’s drawings as a reflection of their feelings towards “others” in ethnically divided societies.

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