Teaching across uneven borders: divergent attitudes and spatial imaginaries of Czech and Polish educators

This article examines the attitudes of Czech and Polish teachers towards cross-border cooperation (CBC) in the western part of the Czech-Polish borderland. Using comparative surveys, web-based mental mapping, and focus group interviews, the study explores educators’ declared orientations, spatial behaviours, and symbolic geographies in this region. The findings reveal a clear asymmetry: Polish teachers show greater familiarity, engagement, and openness towards Czechs. These patterns reflect differences in professional practice and institutional support, and the disruption of borderland continuity in the Central European context. The study underscores the ongoing importance of symbolic borders and spatial imaginaries in shaping CBC in education. It argues that institutional programmes such as Interreg are insufficient without locally rooted trust, cultural proximity, and proactive engagement by educational actors.