Sci-fi has the power to open dialogue because its alternate world-building enables students to feel far enough from reality to discuss social problems unreservedly. In this essay, I review an assignment I developed using "Black Mirror" and "Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams" that present episodes in which militarized policing,…

While there have been myriad and significant changes in technology, geopolitical relations, environmental shifts and political upheaval, we are still plagued with social inequalities, injustice, warfare and xenophobia, all of which frames our context and contextual analysis. September 11 was a global event or moment because it happened in the…

This article explores my teaching experiences that informed my distinction between religious literacy and critical religious literacy, ultimately leading to the creation of the Challenge Islamophobia Project. I highlight the impacts of post-9/11 criminalization and dehumanization of Muslims, which have significantly shaped public perceptions of…

Democracies are calling on schools to respond to a rise in extremist ideologies and actions. In this article Sigal Ben-Porath situates the rise in extremism within the broader context of political polarization. She suggests that the latter is a more appropriate target for school intervention than the former. She further suggests that addressing…

In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, some who were unable to cope with the devastation and the failure to prevent them turned to alternative explanations as to how and why these attacks occurred. Coinciding with the growth of the internet, hyper-partisan news sources, and misinformation, a vast number of 9/11 conspiracy theories emerged…

The normative ideals of democracy, trust and respect are under threat from the forces of populism and extremism. I argue for a recalibration of some basic ideas in the moral and social domains in which each person sees her/himself as one among others. I defend 0093The Principle of Personal Worth0094 which asserts that persons are more valuable…

After the September 11, 2001, terrorism attack, bumper stickers appeared vowing "9/11 We Will Never Forget," yet Indigenous Peoples' telling of historical events of terrorism and violence is dismissed or expected to be forgotten. Critical race theory and tribal critical race theory are used to conduct an analysis of subjugated Indigenous…

In this article, I discuss a conceptual framework for supporting Muslim students using Culturally Relevant, Responsive, and Sustaining Pedagogies informed by a Collaborative Inquiry approach. The impact of 9/11 and its consequences on Muslim students' temporal and social contexts calls for a critical stance that questions teachers' assumptions…

In this paper, I insert the importance of teaching race through Middle Eastern America and Muslim America. By bringing in critical analysis of Middle Eastern America and Muslim America, I offer theoretical insights and pedagogical strategies in the education curriculum to teach race that will deconstruct, destabilize, and interrogate the dominant…

A close look at artifacts from September 11, 2001, can spark a powerful classroom lesson on the historic attacks. Some artifacts are massive, some fit in the palm of a hand, all serve to tell the story of what happened on 9/11 and in its aftermath. Throughout the year, students use these artifacts, and the stories behind them, to examine the…

The UK Government's PREVENT strategy to counter radicalisation and extremism has been the subject of criticism. Concerns arise over clarity of purpose, clarity of terminology used and potential human rights impacts. Where the policy engages with schools, one human right potentially engaged is the right of parents to transfer their religious…

Despite its popularity among students, terrorism is a sensitive and emotive topic that is difficult to learn, and challenging to teach. Given the lack of a simple definition, terrorism is hard to explain objectively and comprehensively. Perceptually value-laden and provocative, it can reinforce stereotypes and prejudices against a group of people…

The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) has become the basis for nearly every operation against international terrorism since its passage, in the days after the September 11th terrorist attacks. In particular, one 60-word passage has become foundational, both legally and philosophically, to America's "war on terror." An…

Geography is in a unique position to address the topic of terrorism both inside and outside the classroom and has much to offer in terms of crafting effective measures to counter some of the most pressing threats to international security. As little consideration has been given to teaching about this important subject matter at the university…

In this article we present an articulation of how "invited spaces" can foster inclusive and authentic participation and public discourse on issues related to extremism and radicalization. Conversations on these issues that are of crucial importance to the general public are usually held in closed spaces or in spaces that are set up by…