Stereotypes at Work in Classroom Interactions: Pupils Talk about the Police in School Cinema Activities in Sweden

The empirical investigation in this paper develops the perspective of media in education by focusing on how the use of film in education stimulates the production of cultural, societal and social values and norms in school when pupils talk about "the police" in school cinema activities in Sweden. "Police" is regarded as a keyword and stereotype and the analysis focuses on how difference is created and negotiated between pupils and between pupils and teachers. Moreover, the paper highlights how acknowledging or disavowing difference is used by the pupils to position themselves. The result suggests that pupils create the police as negative and positive sign to gain position as: (1) included in a welfare society and (2) as problem solvers in the classroom (and society).