Educating in the Shadow of Colonial Rule. Teaching nuns between Care, Instruction, and Social Responsibility

Abstract

This study examines the role of female teachers in Italian schools in Eritrea during the colonial period, with a specific focus on the educational initiatives led by teaching nuns. The research demonstrates how these nuns performed a pioneering role in cultural and social mediation, navigating a complex dialectic between evangelical missions and the political-administrative requirements of the colonial context. Through the analysis of archival sources, the article reconstructs school life during this period. It contributes to a deeper understanding of the nexus between education, religion, and colonialism, highlighting how teaching
nuns embodied the contradictions of an era marked by the entanglement of spiritual ideals and political interests.