Teaching about War in International Contexts : Pedagogical Practices in Secondary Social Studies Classrooms

Social studies teachers cannot avoid teaching about war. They must consider how they can teach about war and related topics meaningfully instead of relegating wars to a body of facts, such as dates, places, names, or casualties. Teaching about war helps students comprehend (de)colonization, cultivates their critical thinking skills, and facilitates student understanding of conflict and peace.

In Teaching about War in International Contexts, the contributors adopt the literal meaning of war—a state of armed conflict between nations, states, or groups within a country or state. While there are books out there focusing on how to teach a specific war, such as the Vietnam War or the Korean War, no books highlight the pedagogical practices of teaching global wars. Thus, Teaching about War in International Contexts fills the gap in the existing literature.

This edited book is an invaluable pedagogical resource highlighting the teaching of war in an international context in secondary (grades 6–12 or equivalent) social studies classrooms worldwide. Featuring the voices of classroom teachers, graduate students who used to be classroom teachers, and teacher educators, this book provides readers with classroom-tested practices for teaching about war. Readers will find examples of lesson planning, teaching strategies, teachers’ reflections, and further teaching resources on specific wars. This edited volume is an invaluable resource for secondary social studies classroom teachers, graduate and undergraduate social studies education students, and social studies curriculum and instruction experts.