In an increasingly polarized political and cultural climate, students often make connections between the historical material presented to them and contemporary issues. Some scholars, educators, and graduate students hesitate to place to past in such a close conversation with the present while others argue that contemporary relevance is a core component of the historical curriculum. Regardless, the present-day application of the historical past is often inseparable from the classroom environment. In this workshop, we will discuss moments of collision between past and present in the classroom, navigating student reactions with compassion and tact, and problem-solving to anticipate and address the contemporary significance of material in the future.

All graduate students are welcome. This event grows out of concerns in the History department and so may be most useful to students in related fields.

Counts toward the CETLI Teaching Certificate.