From: uma at cyberport.com <uma>
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 07:44:59 -0700

One of the problems I had setting up a page that listed books about peace and peacemaking is that it's impossible to discuss that without also discussing the myriad forces that work against peace in the world. Conversely, I agree that it's impossible to discuss war and wartime without also talking about peace. This becomes very complex--the canned reassurance approach is far easier! Quite apart from my political views, I believe the difficulty lies in a lurking sense that somehow in allowing it to come to this, the grownup world of every political/national stripe has failed children. If we're not prepared to handle these issues in classrooms with great care and an understanding of just how multi-layered they are, it might be best to keep the focus elsewhere.

Uma

-- 
Uma Krishnaswami  
Books, links for teachers and writers, FAQs,
and South Asian children's lit resources at
http://www.umakrishnaswami.com
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
New!  CHACHAJI'S CUP, illustrated by
Soumya Sitaraman, 2003, Children's Book Press
A young boy plays a role in keeping alive an
elderly relative's memories of the 1947 partition
of India. 

Received on Wed 19 Mar 2003 08:44:59 AM CST