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Teaching Guides for Six Subject Areas
The following teaching
guides have been prepared to help advanced high school
and college level teachers use specially selected essays
included in the SSRC's "After Sept. 11: Perspectives
from the Social Sciences" collection in their courses.
These teaching guides are organized according to the same
subject areas used in the main SSRC "After September 11"
essay collection, allowing teachers and students to review
other related essays in the SSRC's collection for more
information on subjects of particular interest.
Globalization
Understanding the significance of the multiple aspects of
globalization can help to explain the events of September
11th and to evaluate the effectiveness of various ways to
respond to those events. Specifically, these essays use the
lens of globalization to investigate the rise of global
terrorism (i.e., informal violence perpetrated by
international movements rather than by states). The essays
also explore how the events that began on September 11th may
alter economic and political global trends.
New World Order?
The essays in this section consider how the world order may
be affected by the events of September 11th. The authors
explore this question in the context of the changes in the
world order since the end of World War II. Special attention
is given to the demise of the bi-polar world order and the
end of the Cold War, which was followed by a realignment
in the 1990's to a uni-polar world with the United States
as its sole superpower. Essays also address how September
11 and its aftermath can shape future U.S. engagement in
world affairs.
Terrorism and Democratic
Virtues
How has the threat of terrorism impacted democracy and civil
rights in the U.S. and elsewhere? These essays discuss the
extent to which the principles upon which the U.S. was
founded have been compromised in the name of protection
against the terrorist threat. They address the need
for commitment to these values both internationally and
domestically, and the role these principles play in the
struggle against terrorism.
New War?
The "war on global terrorism" declared by President Bush
after the attacks on September 11th is in some fundamental
ways a new kind of war. The authors of this set of
essays explore specifically how the conduct of this war
differs from conventional warfare. They investigate the
possibilities of war taking the shape of cyber-terrorism,
the implications of a war being declared against an informal
global movement rather than a nation-state, and whether
this war fulfils established criteria of a "just war."
Building Peace
Essays in this section consider the challenges facing
Afghani and international leadership working to build
peace in Afghanistan. The delicate balance of power both
within Afghanistan and in the region are considered, and
suggested approaches are discussed, reviewing the needs
of the Afghani people, the promises of the Bonn agreement
and plans for reconstruction, as well as the threatening
instability of Afghanistan's neighbor, Pakistan.
Fundamentalism(s)
The essays in this section highlight the diverse
characteristics of various forms of fundamentalism,
with a special focus on Islamic fundamentalist and
"neo-fundamentalist" movements. While the point is made
that fundamentalism is not unique to Islam, most of the
essays in this section illustrate how the meaning of Islam
and Islam's role in society have been, and continue to be,
the subject of intense debate among Muslims and scholars.
Click here to
see how these subject areas relate to the curriculum
standards suggested by the NCSS, McRel and AP/College Board.
Click here to go to some
suggested lesson plans using these essays and guides.
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