Definitions
Below are definitions of the four key areas of critical analysis that my blog focuses on. These definitions stem from the Honors courses that I have taken at Western Washington University.
Settler Colonialism: In its essence, settler colonialism describes a "settler-invader," a settler that imposes their will on a native population in an attempt to strip them of their culture and conform them. Chinua Achebe's The African Trilogy are great books that portray settler colonialism in Africa. Another excellent resource is Postcolonial Studies: The Key Concepts by Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin.
Intersectionality: "Promotes an understanding of of human beings as shaped by the interaction of different social locations (e.g. 'race'/ethnicity, Indigeneity, gender, class, sexuality, geography, age, disability/ability, class, religion)." — Olga Hankivsky, PhD
The theory of intersectionality was developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw. Her TED Talk, "The urgency of intersectionality," would be a great place to start exploring this concept further.
Truth: "The course will address and survey the discipline and the writing of 'history' from a number of different angles and in different modes, exposing the students to different ways of reading the texts, films, practices, or events under investigation." — HNRS 352 Syllabus
The big idea of truth is that you use critical analysis and search for it. You cannot accept everything that you encounter as truth. Instead, you need to seek it out yourself.
Humor: "Although prominent in popular culture, especially with the increasing use of digital technologies (social networks, online video sharing, and personal websites), the role of humor as part of people's 'lived' religion remains underappreciated in the field of religious studies. Yet humor constitutes an important discursive tool for debates over religion in modern society." — HNRS 358 syllabus
This course focused on the role of humor in religion, but the same concepts can easily be applied to politics. Things like political cartoons can make it easier to digest and discuss many political topics.
Since these four concepts can seem overwhelming to teach to elementary students, I think a great way to ease them into your curriculum is through history and culture. I will describe how I envision this process taking place below.
History: How did we get here? Having students understand everything that has happened to make our society the way it is today is crucial when engaging with difficult topics. A great way to start having conversations about these four concepts with a historical emphasis is through a critical analysis of holidays like Thanksgiving, and Mother's Day.
Culture: What are we going to do about it? After engaging with the history that got us to where we are today, creating a classroom culture that represents a more inclusive and diverse society will show students that their future does not have to be defined by the past. Instead of making headdresses and gifts specifically for a mom on Thanksgiving and Mother's Day, students can engage with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address and make a gift for an important adult in their lives instead.
Settler Colonialism: In its essence, settler colonialism describes a "settler-invader," a settler that imposes their will on a native population in an attempt to strip them of their culture and conform them. Chinua Achebe's The African Trilogy are great books that portray settler colonialism in Africa. Another excellent resource is Postcolonial Studies: The Key Concepts by Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin.
Intersectionality: "Promotes an understanding of of human beings as shaped by the interaction of different social locations (e.g. 'race'/ethnicity, Indigeneity, gender, class, sexuality, geography, age, disability/ability, class, religion)." — Olga Hankivsky, PhD
The theory of intersectionality was developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw. Her TED Talk, "The urgency of intersectionality," would be a great place to start exploring this concept further.
Truth: "The course will address and survey the discipline and the writing of 'history' from a number of different angles and in different modes, exposing the students to different ways of reading the texts, films, practices, or events under investigation." — HNRS 352 Syllabus
The big idea of truth is that you use critical analysis and search for it. You cannot accept everything that you encounter as truth. Instead, you need to seek it out yourself.
Humor: "Although prominent in popular culture, especially with the increasing use of digital technologies (social networks, online video sharing, and personal websites), the role of humor as part of people's 'lived' religion remains underappreciated in the field of religious studies. Yet humor constitutes an important discursive tool for debates over religion in modern society." — HNRS 358 syllabus
This course focused on the role of humor in religion, but the same concepts can easily be applied to politics. Things like political cartoons can make it easier to digest and discuss many political topics.
Since these four concepts can seem overwhelming to teach to elementary students, I think a great way to ease them into your curriculum is through history and culture. I will describe how I envision this process taking place below.
History: How did we get here? Having students understand everything that has happened to make our society the way it is today is crucial when engaging with difficult topics. A great way to start having conversations about these four concepts with a historical emphasis is through a critical analysis of holidays like Thanksgiving, and Mother's Day.
Culture: What are we going to do about it? After engaging with the history that got us to where we are today, creating a classroom culture that represents a more inclusive and diverse society will show students that their future does not have to be defined by the past. Instead of making headdresses and gifts specifically for a mom on Thanksgiving and Mother's Day, students can engage with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address and make a gift for an important adult in their lives instead.