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teach the conflicts
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From: Marc Aronson <aronson.marc_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 17:38:24 -0400
I'm having a two-fold hesitation about the responses to KT's post on Persepolis. Of course I agree that we should "teach the conflicts" and, indeed, I frequently encourage teachers of all grades to read Graff and Birkensetein, *They Say, I Say *precisely in order to encourage all reading and writing to be a debate, a conversation, an exchange of contentions grounded in evidence and based on deep understanding of the very views the student opposes.
And, further, I am sure that in the case of Islam generally, and Iran since the revolution in particular, there is a grave danger that prejudice, bias, and very limited knowledge will shape how a student reads any source. Students need wide exposure to the many, many voices of the many, many versions of Islam, and the lives and beliefs of Muslims the world over.
However I am concerned that we are treating all objections to *Persepolis* and *Lolita* as being of equal weight. For, while it is certainly true that the Shah in particular, and many "modernizing" regimes in general, was contemptuous and indeed brutal towards those who expressed deep faith and manifested that in their dress, beliefs, and practices, it is also true that the Revolution sought to impose a singular vision of how Iranians, and in particular women, should behave -- and did so with violent means. So while we need to be alert to all points of view, that does not mean all such views are above criticism and judgment.
My second hesitation is that if we agree -- as I do -- that we must "teach the conflict" we should also seek out views within the US with which we ardently disagree and give them air time and consideration. Receptivity to conflicting views cannot only apply overseas.
Marc Aronson
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Received on Fri 08 Aug 2014 04:38:52 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 17:38:24 -0400
I'm having a two-fold hesitation about the responses to KT's post on Persepolis. Of course I agree that we should "teach the conflicts" and, indeed, I frequently encourage teachers of all grades to read Graff and Birkensetein, *They Say, I Say *precisely in order to encourage all reading and writing to be a debate, a conversation, an exchange of contentions grounded in evidence and based on deep understanding of the very views the student opposes.
And, further, I am sure that in the case of Islam generally, and Iran since the revolution in particular, there is a grave danger that prejudice, bias, and very limited knowledge will shape how a student reads any source. Students need wide exposure to the many, many voices of the many, many versions of Islam, and the lives and beliefs of Muslims the world over.
However I am concerned that we are treating all objections to *Persepolis* and *Lolita* as being of equal weight. For, while it is certainly true that the Shah in particular, and many "modernizing" regimes in general, was contemptuous and indeed brutal towards those who expressed deep faith and manifested that in their dress, beliefs, and practices, it is also true that the Revolution sought to impose a singular vision of how Iranians, and in particular women, should behave -- and did so with violent means. So while we need to be alert to all points of view, that does not mean all such views are above criticism and judgment.
My second hesitation is that if we agree -- as I do -- that we must "teach the conflict" we should also seek out views within the US with which we ardently disagree and give them air time and consideration. Receptivity to conflicting views cannot only apply overseas.
Marc Aronson
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Received on Fri 08 Aug 2014 04:38:52 PM CDT
