Teaching Politically Sensitive Issues: Thoughts and Perspectives
If You Cannot do Great Things, Do Small Things Great! -Napoleon Hill
Time to officially kick off the first full week of a busy month taking on issues related to Ethnopolitics, Biopower and Geopolitics, and Teaching in a Multicultural Environment in Tartu. Leading up to her participation in the PhD seminar, Teaching in a Multicultural Environment, Tamta Varshanidze suggests that instructors in diverse classrooms should: Be sociable, know about the traditions and social environment of students, and make communication easy and effective. How can we accomplish all of this? What tools do instructors need to put this into practice? Stay tuned to see how the seminar lets us dig a little deeper!
Challenges to Consider Leading up to a Busy February
The winter break is coming to an end and not it is time to show all of the behind the scenes work we have been doing in our hibernation! In Tartu it will be an event packed few weeks, so we'd like to start with a series of experiences and suggestions learning and teaching in a multi-cultural environment beginning with Ani Grigoryan who will be participating in the Research Seminar "Teaching in a Multicultural Environment" (February 8-14). Join the discussion!
"Define Informal Rules to Keep the Discussion Fruitful and Constructive"
Tartu University European Studies and EU-Russia Studies MA Programme Director highlights the importance of establishing boundaries and facilitating an inclusive discussion of politically controversial issues in the classroom.
Give students a "Relatively Strong Set of Tools" to Tackle Sensitive Topics
Meline Avagyan, originally from Armenia, interviews her professor of Ethnopolitics, Vello Pettai, from the Democracy and Governance MA Program at Tartu University to learn how he addresses politically sensitive issues in the classroom. Professor Pettai shares his experience, insight, and expectations for instructors and students alike and concludes that "as we talk about certain models and mechanisms, people will take them back into their own context". Find out how he provides the 'tools' for students to learn and establish truth through educated debate in the classroom and to challenge their own perspectives.
Lessons working with "Women for Peace"
Volha Damarand, MA from Tartu University EU Russia Studies Program shares how her experience working with "Women for Peace" was "an extremely important one" because it allowed her to see first hand "how cultural diversity provokes more willingness to understand".
Reflections from Classroom Experience
Givi Gigitashvili shares his ideas about how it's possible to teach politically sensitive issues without provoking conflicts and sharing opinions without igniting further conflicts.
