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Refugees - Giving a Human Face to…
History
- From
the medieval religious wars to the recent Balkan conflicts, political
turmoil has victimised many families, forcing them to flee their
homes.
- For
young people, in particular, looking at world events from the
point of view of a refugee family can give new meaning and a sense
of reality to events that may otherwise seem abstract and far
away.
- Prominent
refugees throughout history, including Einstein and Karl Marx,
offer a positive way to look at the issue of exile.
For
further information and history lesson plans click
here.
Geography
- Studying
any refugee crisis illustrates the practical applications of mapping
(e.g. charting population movements); spatial organisation (e.g.
the siting of refugee camps) and the environment (e.g. the consequences
of a mass exodus).
- Through
the study of refugee flows students can better understand population
issues, including the economic development generated by the skills
and initiative refugees bring with them.
- There
is a correlation between refugee problems and development, and
it is no coincidence that the largest refugee populations are
found in the poorest parts of the world.
For
further information and geography lesson plans click
here.
Mathematics
- Refugee
issues are relevant to the study of statistics in particular:
How many refugees are there in the world? How many are women and
children? What countries produce the most refugees? Which country
hosts more? What about per capita? Or according to GDP? In this
way students will also gain an insight to the real picture of
forced migration around the globe.
Language & Literature
- Over 90 per cent of refugees are bilingual, 65 per cent speak at least three languages. Therefore refugees living in the local community, from Francophone Africa or Spanish speaking South America, for example, can be ideal guest speakers at language classes.
- Some
of the greatest literature has been written in exile - many well-known
authors and poets were refugees, including Dante Alighieri, Thomas
Mann and Franz Kafka.
- Texts
addressing refugee issues can also be used in language courses.
Through creative writing, interviews and testimonies, for example,
students can explore the issues facing refugees in their community.
For
further information and language and literature lesson plans click
here.
Art
and Design
- Just
as with literature, exile has often informed art: In Nazi Germany,
for example, many artists went into exile and study of refugee
issues can help pupils understand the political, social and economic
context in which artists of the Expressionist, Surrealist and
Dadist movements produced their work.
- In
the modern day, children in refugee camps around the world have
found it less disturbing to relive their memories through artwork
as a means of expression. By studying the artwork of such children,
young students can come to better understand the refugee experience.
A collection of paintings by refugee children may be loaned from
UNHCR London.
For
further information and art lesson plans click
here.
Religious
Education
- Study
of religious persecution may be tied in with religious events
or events, for example Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January.
Citizenship
- Legal
and human rights - Refugees have fled because of human rights'
violations, but does domestic legislation uphold their rights
in respect of international conventions? For further information
and lesson plans on human rights issues click
here.
- Diversity
and understanding - Students can study the settlement of refugees
in Britain over the centuries and the contribution they have made
to Britain as it is today.
- Local
government - The role of local government can be studied in
relation to provisions for asylum seekers in the local community
and how local councils tackle the issues.
- Conflict
resolution - Dispersal of asylum seekers in the UK has led
to increased social tensions in areas, which did not traditionally
host refugee communities. Guidelines, such as the ones produced
by the Association of Chief Police Officers in response to the
effects of dispersal, provide an ideal resource for any consideration
of conflict resolution.
- Media
in society - Students could look at articles from various
newspapers to see how reporting of refugee issues differs. How
much is emotional or attention grabbing? How much is accurate?
What is the consequence of such media coverage? For further information
on the portrayal of refugees in the UK media please click
here.
- The
global community - Where most people can look to their own
governments to guarantee and protect their basic human rights
and physical security, refugees cannot do so. Students can consider
how UNHCR persuades governments to uphold individuals' right to
asylum under increasing political, economic and social pressure.
Students can also explore what deeper European integration will
mean for future asylum seekers and refugees in the European Union.
For
further information and citizenship lesson plans click
here.
Finally….
the main emphasis of work on refugee issues in schools should always
be on encouraging the humanisation of refugees. This can be achieved
through photographs, testimonies and inviting in speakers. Such
studies should encourage students to empathise with refugee students
and to develop a wider understanding of tolerance and difference.
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