"Margaret Smith has written a systematic and comprehensive book that captures the complex issues embedded in teaching history in situations of intractable conflict. Her insightful analysis of Northern Ireland as a case-in-point is a rich source of data for those who aspire to understand the relationship between the teaching of history, peace-making, and reconciliation."
Hugh O'Doherty, Harvard University
"How do you teach history in a society where it provides the very stuff of political conflict and violence? Margaret Smith cogently examines controversy and commitment in the teaching of history in Northern Ireland and dissects the various 'wisdoms' that have been brought to bear on the problem. She challenges schools, teachers, and students to engage with contentions issues, the interdependence of past and present, and the emotional resonances of the past. This is not just a prescription for Northern Ireland, for, as she rightly argues, the challenge for history teaching lies 'at the frontier of discovery in places of diversity, right now.'"
Anthony Gallagher, Queen's University Belfast
With Northern Ireland as her focal point, Margaret E. Smith examines how group narratives are used in the field of history education to address both future conflict prevention and postconflict rebuilding. Smith explores how divided societies can use educational textbook reform to reconcile a narrative that treats shared group histories as mutually exclusive. Northern Ireland is an ideal case study, in part because educators have been working on revising history teaching in schools, museums, and local history societies since the 1970s. Learning from this process, Smith encourages us to acknowledge that societal change does not occur overnight-she proposes a stage theory of incremental change and a vision for building educational reform directly into brokered peace treaties. This synthetic approach recognizes how difficult it can be to work with groups that feel threatened by difference but also underscores the importance of finding practical ways to move two conflicted groups to a place where their mentalities can be intertwined into a joint story.
Margaret E. Smith is Assistant Professor in the School of International Service at American University.
