Education and September 11 Call for papers

[Greta Vollmer]

I thought this might be of interest, given our recent discussions
on this topic.  I notice that none of their "suggested themes" has a
linguistic focus, although it is implied to some degree.

Greta Vollmer



Teachers College Record announces a call for papers for a special online
issue of TCRecord on "Education and September 11".  For complete
details go to the following link or read the text below:

http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=10818

===================================================================

In the short period of time that has passed since September 11, we
have seen and experienced both the best and worst of this nation.
Volunteerism, community, giving, gentleness, heroism, self-sacrifice,
and sharing have come to the forefront of everyday life, while
materialism, selfishness, and isolation have (at least momentarily)
diminished. We have witnessed a parade of national leaders, of varied
political persuasions, calling for racial and religious tolerance,
and publicly embracing Islam as an ally and religion of peace.

At the same time, there have been more troubling aspects of our
society spreading out before us. Much of the new-found generosity is
tightly cloaked in the American flag; there is monumental public
support for war, with only limited probing of the reasons that
individuals and communities might be pushed to such drastic measures;
an alarming support for the curtailment of civil liberties; and the
explosion of jingoism and racial and ethnic prejudice. Pakistani
businessmen have been removed from American planes, Sudanese
Christian refugees in Atlanta have been attacked, as have Indian
students in the college town of Champaign, Illinois. In the midst of
such contradictory experiences and the overwhelming emotions brought
on by September 11, it has often been difficult for a dialogue
involving diverse perspectives to develop in the media, the public
arena, and in schools and universities.

As the months and perhaps years of this tragedy, and its potentially
equally tragic aftermath unfold, it is important that educators
initiate a public discussion of what it means to be "American," or a
supporter of the ideas for which America stands, in these troubled
times. With this special issue of TCR we hope to create a genuine
exchange of views representative of the full range of positions
evolving in the educational community.

In this spirit, we invite contributions for a special issue/forum on
TCRecord Online that will encompass multiple and diverse perspectives
on September 11 and its aftermath.

TCR Online allows for a wide variety of formats-short essays and
personal reflections (1000-3000 words), along with longer academic
articles (5000-7000 words). All contributions for the special issue
should be submitted via the TCR online site
(http://www.tcrecord.org). Authors need only note that their
contribution is intended for the special issue on Education and
September 11. Contributions are now being accepted and will be
published over the next several months and then retained in a special
TCR collection along with an online discussion forum. At this point
we plan to accept contributions through January 31st, 2002. Authors
who anticipate submitting a contribution after this date should
contact TCR.

Some suggested themes for contributions include:

* Historical perspectives on allegiance and dissent in wartime
* Personal reflections from classroom discussions about September 11
* Dealing with students who experienced direct loss or trauma on September 11
* Critical pedagogy and democracy
* Understanding the diverse roles of the media
* The significance of global education
* The Internet and critical pedagogy
* Approaches to "patriotism"
* Islam and education
* Pedagogies for peace in the Middle East
* Teaching about American foreign policy
* Teaching about a range of responses to terrorism
* Dialogue and conflict resolution
* Volunteerism and critical pedagogy
* Nurturing participatory communities
* Responding to hate and fear