Controversy as a strategy for teaching social studies

Controversy has an image of fear, danger and caution in the schools in Pakistan. In this dissertation I have tried to explore how controversy, an inevitable phenomenon in our daily life, can be constructively and positively used in the classroom. In this study controversy is presented as an alternative way of making Social Studies interesting, meaningful and respondent to the needs and interests of the students. To seek a conclusion, I have discussed some of the problems and possibilities a teacher may face while dealing with controversy. The dissertation clarifies different notions of the term controversy and puts emphasis on controversy as an educationally useful strategy for teaching Social Studies. A substantial part of the dissertation explores my frustrating, yet at the same time extremely valuable experience in which I went through tensions of being a teacher, an outside researcher and a teacher educator at the same time. Therefore, the dissertation has valuable methodological insights which will be useful for further research and my work with teachers. The research shows that the teachers have choice: either to avoid controversy and play safe, or to venture and fulfill their moral responsibility in making difference in the life of young citizens, the future of this country