Pedagogy in an Era of Escalating Political Violence

After the January 6th insurrection in 2021, violent political incidents have increased in American politics . Moreover, the effect of violent politics on many marginalized groups, including Black women and members of the LGBTQIA community, is magnified, as they are more apt to be the target of violent rhetoric and attacks . Political science professors, especially those who encourage students to actively participate in political activity, cannot overlook the negative effects this escalation in violent politics is likely to have on our students. They should modify their pedagogy in response to the current political environment and in response to students’ lived experiences and needs (Poloni-Staudinger and Strachan, 2020). This paper explores the possibility of three approaches that may be able to help students thrive despite an escalation in political violence, including encouraging civic engagement (Strachan, 2015), using praxis in the classroom (Freire, 1968 ), and educating for hope (Giroux, 2023).