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POLICING MATTERS: ADDRESSING THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF POLICING THROUGH EDUCATION FOR RECONCILIATION

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Abstract

Policing is widely held to constitute a contentious issue in classrooms on both sides of the border on the island of Ireland, despite the fact that the ongoing peace process has led to a normalising of cross-border policing relationships. The Education for Reconciliation Project works with teachers and members of the two police services to produce teaching/learning modules on law and policing for use in Citizenship Education classrooms. This paper examines the commonly-held teacher perception of policing as a controversial issue and the reasons why these perceptions exist. It takes into consideration the opinion that it is time for schools to begin work on policing, and investigates the implications for practice.

Résumé

QUESTION DU MAINTIEN DE L’ORDRE: ABORDER LE PROBLÈME CONTROVERSÉ DU MAINTIEN DE L’ORDRE PAR LE BIAIS D’UNE ÉDUCATION POUR LA RÉCONCILIATION – Le maintien de l’ordre est largement considÉrÉ comme constituant un problÈme Épineux dans les salles de classe des deux côtÉs de la frontiÈre de l’île d’Irlande, bien que le processus continu de paix ait menÉ à une normalisation des relations frontaliÈres de la police du maintien de l’ordre. Le Projet d’Éducation pour la RÉconciliation travaille avec des enseignants et des membres des deux services de police afin de produire des modules d’enseignement/d’apprentissage sur la loi et le maintien de l’ordre en vue d’un usage dans les salles de classe d’Éducation à la citoyennetÉ. Ce chapitre examine la perception tenue pour commune qu’ont les enseignants du maintien de l’ordre comme Étant sujet à controverse et les raisons pour lesquelles ces perceptions existent. Il prend en compte l’opinion qu’il est temps pour les Écoles qu’elles commencent à travailler sur le maintien de l’ordre, et en Étudie les implications pour la pratique.

Zusammenfassung

IN SACHEN POLIZEIARBEIT: ÜBERWINDUNG VON KONFLIKTEN ÜBER DIE POLIZEIARBEIT DURCH FRIEDENSERZEIHUNG (EDUCATION FOR RECONCILIATION) – Polizeiarbeit gilt in den Schulen auf beiden Seiten der irischen Grenze allgemein als umstrittenes Thema, obwohl der laufende Friedensprozess zur Normalisierung der grenzÜberschreitenden Beziehungen in der Polizeiarbeit gefÜhrt hat. Das Projekt ,,Education for Reconciliation“ entwickelt in Zusammenarbeit mit Lehrern und Mitgliedern beider Polizeidienste Unterrichtsmodule zu den Themen Recht und Polizeiarbeit, die im Fach Citizenship Education [Sozialkunde] eingesetzt werden. In diesem Kapitel werden die weit verbreitete Wahrnehmung der Polizeiarbeit als einer umstrittenen Frage durch die Lehrer und die GrÜnde dafÜr untersucht. Dabei wird auf die Ansicht eingegangen, es sei fÜr Schulen an der Zeit, sich mit der Polizeiarbeit auseinanderzusetzen, und was dies fÜr die Praxis bedeutet.

Resumen

ACTIVIDAD POLICIAL: TRATAR EL CONTROVERTIDO TEMA DE LA ACTIVIDAD POLICIAL A TRAVÉS DE LA EDUCACIÓN PARA LA RECONCILIACIÓN – En las aulas de Irlanda, a ambos lados de la frontera, la actividad policial es un tema que una gran mayoría considera polÉmico, pese a los avances del proceso pacificador que ha dado lugar a una normalizaciÓn de las relaciones policiales transfronterizas. El Proyecto de EducaciÓn para la ReconciliaciÓn se desarrolla con docentes y miembros de ambos servicios policiales, con el fin de producir mÓdulos de enseñanza y aprendizaje de las leyes y de la actividad policial que se usarán en las clases de EducaciÓn Cívica. Este capítulo analiza la percepciÓn, muy difundida entre los docentes, de que la actividad policial es un tema controvertido, y las razones de esta percepciÓn. La autora considera la opiniÓn de que es hora de trabajar sobre el tema de la actividad policial en las escuelas, y estudia sus implicaciones prácticas.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the contribution of all the teachers and students who participated in Education for Reconciliation Project activities, members of the Policing Matters Working Group, and their associated organizations.

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Correspondence to Mella Cusack.

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Cusack, M. POLICING MATTERS: ADDRESSING THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF POLICING THROUGH EDUCATION FOR RECONCILIATION. Int Rev Educ 55, 251–267 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-008-9124-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-008-9124-x

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