Teaching in Contested Times - Quick Reads

These resources address questions and challenges faculty may face during politically contested times. You may also find it useful to consult the Knowledge Hub resources about conflict transformation or navigating difficult conversations/topics in the classroom.

• “Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty in the Wake of the 2016 Election,” American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT), January 18, 2017. This AAUP publication applies principles of academic freedom to various scenarios and questions faculty might face in the classroom or on campus, given the recent presidential election and current political climate.
• “Teaching in the Current Political Climate,” University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, posted February 1, 2017. Michigan’s CRLT has gathered links to blog posts, guidelines for best practices, and other resources that address issues teachers are facing in the current political climate. Topics include: supporting students in distress, handling tensions in the classroom, and practicing necessary self-care.
• Shontavia Johnson and Jennifer Harvey, “Faculty on the Front Lines,” in Inside Higher Ed, December 2, 2016. Written during the transition between the Presidential election and inauguration, this piece offers some suggestions for teaching students in a divisive and high-anxiety political climate.
• Kate Yanina DeConinck, “College Classroom Conversations in the Wake of the 2016 Presidential Election,”Huffington Post, December 13, 2016. DeConinck describes the classroom discussion she facilitated just after the election, as well as reflections from her students about how and why they were able to engage in and learn from this discussion.