George Orwell: Notes on Nationalism - Focus on Politics
"The point is that as soon as fear, hatred, jealousy and power worship are involved, the sense of reality becomes unhinged. And, as I have pointed out already, the sense of right and wrong becomes unhinged also. There is no crime, absolutely none, that cannot be condoned when "our" side commits it. Even if one does not deny that the crime has happened, even if one knows that it is exactly the same crime as one has condemned in some other case, even if one admits in an intellectual sense that it is unjustified -- still one cannot feel that it is wrong. Loyalty is involved, and so pity ceases to function." |
George Orwell is more well known for his dystopian fiction, especially Animal Farm and 1984, both of which can be found in our library.
He was however also a brilliant essayist, and his ideas on totalitarian power and nationalism are as important and thought-provoking now as when they were written. This short essay can be read as a complement to social studies or English language classes, or as a standalone for those who are interested in discovering the historical roots of our current polarised politics. |
The Holocaust -
A Reading Project in conjunction with the Social Studies Department
In conjunction with a visit from a relative of a Holocaust survivor at IEST, Grade 9 students were given a copy of Hédi Fried's impressive collection "Frågor jag fått om Förintelsen".
Hédi Fried believes in the power of education to prevent a repetition of the darkest times in history, and she strongly promotes speaking up against discrimination and fascism at an early stage, before it is too late.
Hédi Fried believes in the power of education to prevent a repetition of the darkest times in history, and she strongly promotes speaking up against discrimination and fascism at an early stage, before it is too late.
The same message was conveyed in the moving speech by a relative of another Holocaust survivor. She visited IEST in October to speak about her grandfather's suffering, giving a personal witness account to add to Social Studies classes on the Second World War. That approach is favoured by Hédi Fried as well. As she puts it in her collection of questions and answers regarding the Holocaust: we have to learn history not only with our brains, checking the facts, but also with our hearts, understanding the personal experiences of those suffering from injustice or violence.
The library purchased Hédi Fried's other books on her life experience as well, and for those who are interested in reading more, there are several copies of Anne Frank's diary in both English and Swedish, as well as history books covering the war and its atrocities. |
Art Theory - Talking about Art and Creativity
In Grade 9, students spend a term studying Art Theory in the library.
They learn to find information in reference books, to draw creative timelines, to discover elements and principles in artworks, and to see the connections between visual and textual representations of the world we live in. They get a glimpse of humanity's cultural heritage from the perspective of our creative power - a great complement to the take on history in social studies, which often gravitates towards conflict and destructive behaviours. Rudyard Kipling's Poem The Conundrum of The Workshops serves as a guideline: |