International Educational Development

As the United States government increasingly becomes involved in global conflict and occupation, Americans, including children, are confronted with the brutal images of war and terror, from the media display of the September 11th attacks to the more recent coverage of the war in Iraq. According to a study conducted by the Citizens Committee for Children, 93 % of New York City children saw the WTC attacks, either as they were occurring or later on television (2002). Whether these images of conflict and violence are from home or abroad, they not only have potentially long-lasting traumatic effects, but also, like other forms of information, they can be manipulated, propagandized, and made into political tools, especially when there is a lack of space for people to come to terms with their meaning. It is therefore now more crucial than ever that politicians and policy makers rethink the impact of curriculum standardization on students and their education. While research suggests the need for schools to provide psychosocial support spaces, peace and human rights education, and critical pedagogy in a post-conflict context (Nicolai &amp