ERIC Number: EJ1260523
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 34
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1309-9108
EISSN: N/A
And Justice for All: Teaching the Reparations Debate
Moore, James R.
Journal of Social Studies Education Research, v11 n2 p27-60 2020
One of the most significant and controversial issues facing the United States as it prepares for the 2020 election cycle centers around reparations--whether the United States should compensate African Americans for slavery, Jim Crow segregation, racial inequalities, and persistent racial discrimination--and the numerous moral, political, social, and cultural arguments for and against reparations. The disputes surrounding reparations are not new in American politics; in fact, they have been present since the end of the Civil War in 1865, and have fluctuated in the public consciousness based on grassroots movements, media attention, legal opinions, and academia's interests in the most effective manner to achieve racial justice. The debate regarding reparations is enormously complex and fraught competing ideologies, contradictory visions for achieving racial justice, and is an emotionally charged issue. Nevertheless, secondary students should be taught multiple perspectives regarding reparations--including the historical events that precipitated the current focus on racial and social justice--and have access to competing arguments, facts, statistics, and opinions to construct their own views. This article will examine the reparations debate and propose several instructional methods and activities to teach this debate in a pedagogically sound manner that advances civic participation without indoctrination.
Descriptors: Social Justice, Controversial Issues (Course Content), Racial Relations, Racial Discrimination, Secondary School Students, Slavery, African Americans, United States History, Teaching Methods, Racial Bias, Social Studies, Learning Activities
Journal of Social Studies Education Research. Serhat Mah. 1238/2 Sok. 7B Blok 12 Ostim, Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey; Web site: http://jsser.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A