Pedagogy of avoidance: Teachers’ and students’ approaches to the Israel–Palestine conflict and manifestations of antisemitism in Swedish Schools

Recent reports from a number of Swedish municipalities show increased levels of antisemitism since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. This underlines the challenges faced by schools in addressing antisemitism. Despite increasing reports of antisemitism in Swedish schools, little is known about how educators and students navigate these issues within multireligious school environments. This case study focuses on an urban secondary school in Sweden, which has Jewish students and topics on Jewish life and Judaism, and examines how issues related to antisemitism and the Israeli–Palestinian (I–P) conflict are addressed within a multireligious school environment. This qualitative study draws on interviews with six school leaders, two special pedagogues, five social studies teachers, and four student focus groups, with five students in each ( n = 33). The findings reveal that although some antisemitic incidents have occurred at the school, interviewees report that such events are relatively infrequent. Students perceive the school as safe, but conflicts and polarised positionings regarding the I–P conflict create an uneasy environment, especially for Jewish students, who are often held responsible for the situation in Israel and Gaza. The study contributes to understanding how ambivalence and avoidance shape school actors’ positioning on sensitive political topics. The findings highlight the need for clearer guidelines and support for teachers addressing contentious issues like antisemitism and the Israel–Palestine conflict.