Writing About Controversial Topics
Due to the nature of the courses that I teach--they usually focus on representations of difference and otherness--more often than not we run into contemporary social and political issues. As a teacher I'm invested in assisting students strengthen their critical thinking, reading, and writing skills, and controversial subjects--that is, topics that push students out of their comfort zones--can contribute to this process. However, not everybody is of the same opinion. In her book, The High School Student's Guide to Writing a Great Research Paper: 101 Easy Tips and Tricks to Make Your Work Stand Out (Atlantic, 2013) Erika Eby argues that "argumentative is good, but sometimes going with too controversial of a topic can be too much to handle. … Controversial topics can make some of the best research papers, but they need to be treated delicately. Students who are intimidated by arguments or being challenged about their opinions might want to stick to safer topics” (62). I find Eby's instrumentalist view on controversial topics problematic to say the least as it puts all the emphasis on strategies that will make students "get a good grade." Nevertheless, I wanted to know what the experts have said about this topic and what kind of advice they have for those of us who want to encourage critical thinking in the classroom while keeping a safe environment for the students to share their ideas and opinions. Below is a summary of my findings.
The equation of education with learning through crisis is one of the aspects that I would highlight from my inquiry project. The idea that learning can only happen when one's knowledge is challenged (otherwise it would be a mere repetition of what one already knows) is not only appealing but also pushes us to re-think the concept of controversial (what it means, how it is used, what counts as controversial and why) and its place in the classroom. The authors I consulted unanimously believe that controversy belongs to the classroom and that exposure to difference will help students have a better understanding of the complexity of the world, confront their bias, think intersectionally, create a vision of peace, and make them participants of the democratic process.