Newsgroup: it.cultura.storia
Titolo: British history is “morally ambiguous”

British history is “morally ambiguous”
 Nicola Woolcock 
Patriotism should be avoided in school lessons because British history is
“morally ambiguous”, a leading educational body recommends. 
History and citizenship lessons should stick to the bare facts rather than
encouraging loyalty to Britain when covering subjects such as the Second
World War or the British Empire, the Institute of Education researchers
said. Teachers should not instill pride in what they consider great
moments of British history, as more shameful episodes could be downplayed
or excluded. 
The slave trade, imperialism and 20th century wars should be taught as
controversial issues while students are deciding how they feel about their
country, the report says. 
Three quarters of teachers felt obliged to tell students about the danger
of patriotism. The survey suggested neither pupils nor teachers wanted
patriotism endorsed by schools. 
Historians said last night, however, that it was impossible to teach the
subject without patriotism or a recognition that British values were
rooted in the past. 
The report criticises the current drive to use citizenship lessons as a
way of promoting pride in being British and developing a sense of
belonging. It said: “To love what is corrupt is itself corrupting, not
least because it inclines us to ignore, forget, forgive or excuse the
corruption. And there’s the rub for patriotism. 
“Countries are morally ambiguous entities: they are what they are by
virtue of their histories.” 
The authors added: “It is hard to think of a national history free from
the blights of warmongering, imperialism, tyranny, injustice, slavery and
subjugation, or a national identity forged without recourse to
exclusionary and xenophobic stereotypes.” 
Alan Johnson, the former Education Secretary, announced last year that
pupils aged 11 to 16 would have compulsory lessons in British history.
Ethnicity, religion, race and national identity will be taught, through
studying immigration, the Commonwealth, the Empire and devolution,
extending the popular vote and women’s rights. 
Gordon Brown said at the time: “There is a golden thread that intertwines
the unshakeable British commitment to liberty with another very British
idea: that of duty and social responsibility.” 
But Dr Hand, the co-author of the report, said: “Gordon Brown and David
Cameron have both called for a history curriculum that fosters attachment
and loyalty to Britain, but the case for promoting patriotism in schools
is weak. 
“Are countries really appropriate objects of love? Loving things can be
bad for us, for example when the things we love are morally corrupt. Since
all national histories are at best morally ambiguous, it’s an open
question whether citizens should love their countries.” 
The institute - part of the University of London – asked nearly 300 pupils
aged 13 to 14, and 47 teachers, in 20 London schools, how patriotism
should be handled. About 94 per cent of teachers and 77 per cent of
teenagers said that schools should give a balanced presentation of
opposing views. Fewer than 10 per cent felt patriotism should be actively
promoted. 
However, 19 per cent of teachers and 16 per cent of teenagers thought
schools should support patriotic views when expressed by pupils.The
historian Tristram Hunt said of the institute’s report: “I think it’s a
very immature approach to the topic. The point is not whether history was
right or wrong from a 21st Century liberal-left perspective. It’s about
teaching students to understand the mindset and context of our forebears. 
“The real problem isn’t that our children are being indoctrinated with
patriotism, but that they don’t know enough British history." 
Ambiguous times
1750-1830 The Industrial Revolution: exploitation of the poor versus great
wealth creation and growth 
1807 Abolition of the slave trade. Britons were both practitioners of the
trade and responsible for abolition 
1947 Indian independence and Partition. How well did Britain manage its
withdrawal from the sub-continent? 
2003 Iraq war: was it liberation or occupation? 
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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article3285615.ece
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No all'antisemitismo "anche quando esso
si travesta da antisionismo". E' l'appello lanciato da Giorgio 
Napolitano nella giornata della Memoria, (dello scorso anno ndt) 
celebrata al Quirinale, in una cerimonia solenne cui hanno partecipato 
anche il presidente del Consiglio Romano Prodi, i presidenti della 
Camera e Senato Fausto Bertinotti e Franco Marini.
"Antisionismo", ha detto il capo dello stato, "significa negazione della 
fonte ispiratrice dello stato ebraico, delle ragioni della sua nascita, 
ieri, e della sua sicurezza oggi, al di là dei governi che si alternano 
nella guida di Israele".

