How to teach history in a multicultural and multireligious environment?

This complementary resource, available in Georgian and Russian languages, is targeted at students from 9th to 12th grade and gives evidence of the capacity of the authors and editors in the EuroClio/GAHE Project “Tolerance Building through History Education in Georgia” to develop practical classroom material. It aims to make history an engaging subject for students by presenting them in a lively way “why”, like the introduction to the book says, “people with different ethnic and religious identities considered themselves part of (the Georgian) society, and what have made them feel marginalized”.

As the Editorial Team introduces the materials:

This book seeks to tell you how we, with differing ethnic and religious backgrounds have lived together in the 20th century in our home country Georgia. This book will encourage you to think how important historical events from the previous century reflected in our shared lives. You may also probably ponder why people with different ethnic and religious identities considered themselves part of our society and what have made them feel marginalized? How did the ethnic and religious minorities manage to preserve their identities? What has encouraged or hindered this process? What was the input of the minorities in the Georgian history of the 20th century?

To comprehend these questions the book offers a variety of sources which are grouped around the four groups – Multiethnic Georgia, Family and Everyday Life, Migration, and Religion. Peaceful coexistence, understanding, mutual respect and insights into other cultures, traditions, and values are starting point of a country’s successful development. Every worksheet has a key and an overall question, as well as the wide range of sources and tasks. The key question helps to identify the main idea of the worksheet and the overall question initiates discussion and conclusions. The various sources often suggest multiple perspectives. The tasks will encourage you to take your own approach to the issues. Many people were involved in creating this book. The authors with different ethnic and religious backgrounds shared the same intention.

The English abstracts of all 29 modules show the variety and originality of the topics addressed, as acknowledged by Dr. Robert Maier, external expert from the Georg Eckert Institute invited by EuroClio to review the publication: “The authors work sensibly and to great effect with the principle of examples. They take a specific street, a certain village, a particular family, and use these examples to illustrate complex structures and contexts.”

Download the full publication

How to teach history in a multicultural and multireligious environment?

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Introduction

 Introduction KA | RU
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Section 1. Multi-ethnic Georgia

 0. How to work on group worksheets of Section 1  KA | RU
 1. The Tbilisi Courtyard  KA | RU
 2. Did we pass the tolerance exam?  KA | RU
 3. The Doukhobors  KA | RU
4. The Caucasian Yard  KA | RU
5. Tskhinvali 1990  KA | RU
6. The events of 9 March 1956  KA | RU
7. April 9, 1989  KA | RU
8. Tbilisi Melpomene  KA | RU
9. The Garden of Eden in “Southern Siberia”  KA | RU
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Section 2. Family and everyday life

0. How to work on group worksheets of Section 2 KA | RU
10. Mixed marriages in Georgia KA | RU
11. One street in Marneuli KA | RU
12. The human anthill in Chakvi KA | RU
13. Udiytsy in the Georgian environment of the 20th century KA | RU
14. The Kists in Georgia in the 20th century KA | RU
15. History of the Spanish grandmother. KA | RU
16. Ethnic Conflicts and Children KA | RU
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Section 3. Migration

0. How to work on group worksheets of Section 3 KA | RU
17. Share a piece of bread KA | RU
18. In the eternal search for the homeland KA | RU
19. Rustavi KA | RU
20. Rolling stone KA | RU
21. Two sides of the medal KA | RU
22. Diaries of three women KA | RU
23. Will we find another Georgia? KA | RU
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Section 4. Religion

0. How to work on group worksheets of Section 4 KA | RU
24. Law and Reality KA | RU
25. “Godless state” KA | RU
26. The Secret Prayer KA | RU
27. Cooperation or intolerance?! KA | RU
28. Georgia for the Orthodox KA | RU
29. Catholics in Kutaisi KA | RU
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Part of the Project

Tolerance Building through History Education in Georgia

Funded by

MATRA Programme

Members involved

Georgian Association of History Educators

External Review by

Download the External Review

Contributors

Editor-in-Chief:

Rumyana Kusheva

Editors:

Elisabed Chubinishvili, Nina Zulumiani, Manana Shekiladze, Evelina Mamedova.

Authors:

Nino Chikovani Marlen Shengelia, Zurab Laoshvili, Seda Melkumiani, Nona Chigladze, Elene Bodaveli, Nana Sologashvili, Ketevan Kvlividze, Shorena Khetsurian, Naira Mamukelashvili, Nugzar Molashvili, Nargiz Nabieva, Elura Alieva, Madona Mikeladze, Nana Agasashvili, Lamara Margoshvili, Maka Kirvalidze, Tsira Chikvaidze, Ia Khubashvili, Lela Kakashvili, Otar Janelidze, Amiran Jamagidze, Beso Lortkipanidze, Natia Pirtskhalava, Ketevan Sturua, Natia Namicheishvili, Nugzar Bardavelidze.

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