“…Especially now -in a highly tense, rapidly changing and conflictive Bolivian context -this paper aims to add to an understanding of the space available to Bolivian (future) teachers and factors underlying the choices teachers make in order to change things in a positive way, meaning counteracting processes of violent conflict yet promoting 'positive forms of conflict '. 5 Bolivia's conflictive context: diversity, inequality and societal tensions Bolivia, situated right in the heart of South America, has struggled since independence in 1825 to create internal cohesion and a national identity in the face of significant ethnic and geographic diversity (for interesting accounts of Bolivian history see Malaver and Oostra 2003;Morales 2004;Kohl and Farthing 2006;McNeish 2006;Brienen 2007). As a result of major socio-economic inequalities, there has recently been an 'indigenous awakening' in Bolivia, but also in Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and to a lesser extend in Peru (Canessa 2006, 242;Zoomers 2006Zoomers , 1043Baud 2007).…”