History. In an inclusive History programme

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1 History There is substantial correspondence between the aims and objectives of the history course and those of intercultural education. The introduction to the Junior Certificate history syllabus notes, it (history) helps young people to develop a tolerance and respect for the values, beliefs and traditions of others, and to prepare themselves for the responsibilities of citizenship in a national, European and global context. In Junior Certificate history, students engage with human experience in all its multiplicity and diversity. The syllabus provides young people with a wide tapestry of past events, issues, people and ways of life and, in the study of this wide tapestry encourages An acceptance that people and events must be studied in the context of their time. The awareness of diversity and context are also central to intercultural education. The underlying values and approach of Junior Certificate history are also complementary. Students are encouraged to strive for objectivity and fair-mindedness and to develop an ability to detect bias and identify propaganda. The recognition that history is always mediated through human perspective and hence we can have many accounts of the same events provides students with a critical capacity to explore the role of the historian in creating history. Students too can be helped to see the relationship between history and identity and the role of history in providing people with a shared story and collective memory of the past. Such an understanding is critical in fostering an appreciation and understanding of diversity. The working atmosphere of the history classroom, therefore, is one in which the values of intercultural education should be readily assimilated. In an inclusive History programme students encounter diverse aspects of human experience in a variety of cultural contexts students learn that their own historical inheritance has many strands and facets students learn that human society is never static but constantly undergoing change and that change is, therefore, a constant dynamic in the on-going development of human history students learn how human history is created by the interaction of different individuals, groups and institutions in a variety of contexts students are provided with opportunities for reflective and critical work on historical evidence and biases and stereotypes are challenged students learn that our understanding of history is always enhanced by our ability to empathise with the perspective of the other. A detailed audit of the opportunities for including intercultural themes in History as well as sample lessons can be found on the CD-ROM and at

2 IDENTITY AND BELONGING SIMILARITY AND DIFFERENCE HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES DISCRIMINATION AND EQUALITY CONFLICT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION Section I: How we find out about the past Section II: Studies of change Section III: Understanding the modern world Our roots in ancient civilisation: A study, based on archaeological evidence, of various aspects of everyday life in pre-christian and early Christian Ireland and in one ancient civilisation outside of Ireland. Identify the contributions of a range of diverse people to the development of Ireland from the Mesolithic period to the early Christian period. Identify the extent to which Ireland was during these formative periods a multicultural society. Exemplar 10. III: Understanding the modern world. Explore different historical and contemporary concepts of Irishness. For example, the understanding of Wolf Tone, Douglas Hyde, De Valera. Castle, church and city: A study, based on buildings, settlements and other material sources, of various aspects of medieval society at local, national or European level, as appropriate. Identify the prevalence of castle buildings in various European countries and the trans-national similarities in living conditions of their inhabitants. Identify the differences in the living and working conditions of medieval lord and peasant in the highly stratified feudal society of the time. Contrast with the egalitarian attitudes and aspirations of today s society. Political change: Revolutionary movements causes and consequences; including the impact in Ireland of revolutionary movements in America and France. Identify the underlying issues that led to the assertion of some basic human rights during the American and French Revolutions. Explore the limitations on the concept of rights at that time. Identify those groups whose rights were neglected. Exemplar 11. Explore the United Ireland movement s position on the universality of civil rights, including the emphasis on rights for Catholics. Social change in the 20th century: Changing life-styles in Ireland, including changes in the role of women. Explore patterns and structures of discrimination against women in the early 1900s. Explore biased and discriminatory references in early 20th depictions of women and their role(s). Identify some of the main developments in the promotion of the concept of gender equity and the implementation of equality legislation. International relations in the 20th century: Studies of the sources of conflict and strategies to resolve conflict. Identify the factors that contributed to the outbreak of war in Explore the many ways in which people suffered as a result of the war of Research refugee flows that occurred as a result of World War 2 and in particular those groups who came to Ireland. Explore the different ways in which the United Nations and the E.U. have tried to promote peaceful international relations.

3 A melting pot of civilizations 10 SUBJECT TOPIC INTERCULTURAL THEME History Our roots in ancient civilisation Identity and belonging Similarity and difference Approaches and methodologies Class discussion - Who were the first Irish people? How (and what) do we know about them? What new skills and knowledge did the Neolithic people bring? Did either of these groups of early Irish people leave behind evidence of their existence? Have we inherited anything from these people? Group work and peer learning - Divide into groups, each representing a different period in the pre-history and early history of ancient Ireland, and assemble a collage of the images we associate with the period in question. Use of drama, role-play, simulation - Using role-play, try to highlight the differences between the pagan religion of Iron Age druids and the Christian beliefs of the 5th century missionaries. Use of newspapers and other media - Show TV/video footage of an archaeological site and emphasise how the archaeologist's findings are based on analysis of the evidence found. Survey and research - Have students research the archaeology of the local area and identify the time period(s) to which the surviving archaeological evidence relates. Project work - Depending on the evidence available, have students prepare a project on 'My area during the Age/period'. Use of IT - Visit websites illustrating different facets of Ireland's early history and pre-history. Class visitor/speaker - Invite a speaker to address the class from the local historical society or the local studies section of the local library service. Level Junior cycle COMMENT This topic offers excellent opportunities to examine the various strands that make up our concepts of 'Irishness' from the Stone Age to the early Christian period. Students can be helped to see that Irishness has never been a fixed and unchanging concept but a concept that is continually renewed by new arrivals and the introduction of new ideas. Thus, they may more readily understand that today's arrivals can also play an important part in developing the Ireland of the future. 1

4 A melting pot of civilizations 10 AIM To explore the concept of 'Irishness' and how it has changed over time. STEPS 1. Review with the class the different groups that settled in Ireland from the Mesolithic to the early Christian period and the different types of evidence that the different groups left behind. Have a discussion on the extent to which the different groups have left behind any lasting influences. 2. Divide the class into five groups. Each group is assigned a period of ancient Ireland - Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, early Christian. Their task is to produce a collage of images that we associate with the period in question. If the Mesolithic group have difficulty in identifying images, they need to be able to explain why this is so. 3. Using role-play, encourage the class to examine the arguments each group might make to justify its description of itself as Irish and its tolerance or intolerance of other conceptions of Irishness. 4. Students prepare a wall-chart covering each of the five periods specified, and which highlights the significant contributions of each set of new arrivals to the development of Irish society. USEFUL RESOURCES Archaeology Ireland (published quarterly); National Museum, Kildare St., Dublin 2. OTHER SUBJECTS WHERE THIS EXEMPLAR MIGHT BE USED English, SPHE. 2

5 Struggles for human rights 11 SUBJECT TOPIC INTERCULTURAL THEME History Political change: HR and responsibilities Revolutionary movements Discrimination and equality Conflict and conflict resolution Approaches and methodologies Class discussion: What prompted the struggles for rights and against privilege that affected such diverse late 18th societies as the American colonies, France and Ireland? Were any groups in society excluded or ignored in the demand for rights? Did the struggle for rights lead to any wrongs being perpetrated? Group work and peer learning Divide into groups; each group to be given edited extracts from a key 'rights' document of the period and to draw up a list of the main rights identified in the extracts. Use of drama, role-play, simulation Role-play an imaginary debate between proponents of the 'ancien régime' defending the divine right of kings and deputies from the National Assembly advocating the 'rights of man'. Survey and research Research the life of Thomas Paine whose ideas influenced many developments of the period. Project work - A project on Wolfe Tone's support for the rights of Catholics. Use of IT - Access a number of websites. Level Junior cycle COMMENT This topic affords the opportunity to examine many of the key concepts associated with interculturalism. At its heart is the struggle for rights against the forces of privilege. The exclusion of certain categories of people from the enjoyment of newly asserted rights raises issues of discrimination and equality. The struggle to establish sovereign rights of independence raises many issues, including issues of identity and belonging. The nature of the struggle for rights - in a number of different contexts - raises issues of conflict and conflict resolution. 1

6 Struggles for human rights 11 AIM To help students understand the complex and difficult nature of the struggle for political and civil rights. STEPS 1. Assemble a selection of documents that express the grievances of people in late 18th century Ireland, France and the American colonies. Ask the class to identify the details that attack the notion of privilege and the denial of rights to ordinary people. 2. Divide the class into groups; give each group edited extracts from a key 'rights' document of the period e.g. the American Declaration of Independence, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, Wolfe Tone's 'An Argument on behalf of the Catholics of Ireland'. Each group is to draw up a list of the main rights identified in the extracts. 3. Role-play a situation where a group of people who feel their rights were neglected by the American Declaration of Independence of 1776 argue their case with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and/or other leaders of the revolution. (The group could include a Native American, a black slave, a woman.) 4. Using the internet, CD ROMs or other library resources, ask students to research the life and ideas of Thomas Paine and to come to some conclusions about his contribution to the developments of the time. 5. Ask students to prepare a poster display on the theme, 'Wolf Tone and the struggle for the rights of Catholics'. USEFUL WEBSITES Websites: OTHER SUBJECTS WHERE THIS EXEMPLAR MIGHT BE USED English, CSPE. 2