WHAT’S NEW IN 2022: UPCOMING UNC WORLD VIEW PROGRAMS

Susan O'Rourke | November 11, 2021

As we move closer to the start of the new year, we at UNC World View are growing even more excited for the programs scheduled for 2022. Check out some of the highlights below.

January

On January 20^th, UNC World View will be partnering again with the Choices Program at Brown University for a virtual program, “Westward Expansion: A New History.” According to Choices, this unit explores how different groups in the West experienced U.S. expansion and invasion and includes lessons on geography, Indian primary sources, rewriting history, and more to help students learn about legends, calendar sticks, and Native perspectives on U.S. westward expansion. This unit introduces students to the term “settler colonialism” in addition to the idea of “westward expansion” to emphasize the processes of Native removal and the taking of land by U.S. settlers. This unit is best suited for middle school, high school and community colleges. Participants will receive access to a one-year Digital Editions license for the “Westward Expansion: A New History” curriculum unit. Founded in 1988, The Choices Program is dedicated to helping teachers bring challenging topics into their classrooms and engage their students in meaningful discussions. The World View-Choices “Racial Slavery in the Americas: Resistance, Freedom, and Legacies,” workshops offered in 2021 yielded generative discussions, and we look forward to our latest program with Choices on January 20^th.

February

UNC World View and the UNC Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies are planning to host a program for Scholar of Global Distinction students and educators. Participants will hear from an expert on women and gender in the Middle East. More details to come! If you are interested in becoming part of the Scholar of Global Distinction Campus community, feel free to reach out to Associate Director Hazael Andrew.

March

On March 8^th, we will mark International Women’s Day with an online program on women in Renaissance England. The program will explore the exciting contributions of early modern women to scientific thinking and literature and will investigate recent research on women of color in England and Irish women as part of a larger discussion of historiography, gender, and identity. The program is designed to bring the archives alive and help middle school, high school, and community college educators bring these women’s stories into their classrooms.
On March 25^th, we will host the in-person program, “We’re Still Here: North Carolina’s Indigenous Cultures.” This program will explore the ancient peoples that lived in North Carolina and those who represent today’s vibrant American Indian populations. Understanding past indigenous lifeways — their complexity, resiliency, and vitality — allows for a greater appreciation of the contributions American Indians made to the past and continue to make to the present and future of North Carolina. We will learn from members of our indigenous communities and utilize the expertise available at UNC-Chapel Hill to expand participants’ knowledge of indigenous peoples, past and present, and support educators in developing and using culturally appropriate, relevant and historically accurate curriculum for teaching about American Indian peoples and cultures. Comprehensive lesson plans created by UNC World View’s 2021 Fellows engage K-12 students in learning about North Carolina’s indigenous cultures by using the Ancient North Carolinians: A Virtual Museum of NC Archeology website will be highlighted at this program.

Spring

In the spring (date forthcoming), we will host the annual UNC World View Richardson Lecture. The lecture honors Richard J. Richardson, former Provost of UNC-Chapel Hill, with a public lecture by a renowned guest speaker. Past speakers include Nobel Prize-winner Dr. Aziz Sancar and Pulitzer Prize Finalist and cartoonist for The Economist, Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher. The event raises funds for registration scholarships that expand access to World View programs. It is designed for community supporters to learn about UNC World View and our mission of serving K-12 and community college educators by providing global education professional development opportunities.

June

We’re happy to be holding the Global Education Leaders Program from June 21^st to June 23^rd. This annual program brings together current and aspiring leaders from K-12 schools, districts, and community colleges to discuss global issues alongside experts from UNC-Chapel Hill.