Gestures of reconciliation – The case of small primary school closures in rural Austria

This article addresses the kind of agreements and arrangements made between the mayor, as the municipality's political leader, and the community, in order to minimise potential conflicts and preserve social cohesion during and after the closing process of a local primary school. The concept of the “gift”, as conceptualised and discussed by Marcel Mauss serves as theoretical approach to help to better understand the dynamics and processes involved in a primary school closure. The results are based on 30 qualitative interviews with mayors from across Austria, which help illustrate “friendly gestures” that are part of the closing process. In addition, special attention has been paid to the few cases where these “offers” from the municipality's side could not appease the local community's resistance towards the decision to close the school.