How to avoid conflict in the classroom in a changing socio-political context. Lessons learned in RFL classes with in the fy program [Articol]

Abstract

The social, political and geopolitical problems of the world do not belong solely to state leaders and governments, but also to societies, as they affect our daily lives and impact what we say, how we react, and how we interact with others. These issues are even more pronounced in a multicultural class like the ones we encounter in the Foundation Year program, where professors have the responsibility of bringing all students to a common denominator and mitigating the cultural and socio-political differences between them. Both in Grammar and Culture and Civilization classes, these problems emerge from time to time, from sensitive issues as explaining the gender of the nouns or the qualitative adjectives in terms of colors, which some might find offensive as they might relate to skin color as well, to explaining the political state of the country without being perceived as taking sides. This paper outlines lessons learned during the FY classes when it comes to topics such as gender, discrimination, stereotypes, racism, wars and conflicts and how sensitive discussions should, from my perspective, be dealt with.