Utopia for Beginners: Teaching Global Challenges through Local Cases

CLI Fellowship of Gijsbert Oonk
Gijsbert Oonk

The Community for Learning & Innovation (CLI) gives lecturers from Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) the opportunity to apply for a fellowship. With this fellowship, they research educational innovation, or carry out an educational project.
On this page you can read more about Gijsbert Oonk's (ESHCC) CLI Fellowship about teaching global challenges through local cases.

Case based learning (the case method) facilitates an active learning experience for students. By working on a case, themselves and with fellow students, students can reach a deeper understanding of the ideas, concepts and (historical) contexts under discussion than they would if they only read texts or (passively) listened to lectures. Moreover, the case method motivates students to question concepts and stimulates them to actively engage with the readings and concepts.

In the case method, students start to work on a case that is a concrete real-life history or event, often supported by moral questions. All facts are given about the case under discussion, including the results of academic researches (articles) and data. Students individually prepare the case by writing a short essay in which they formulate their own arguments and opinions regarding the moral question(s) of the case. The fundamental principles behind the case method are that the best learned lessons are the ones that you teach yourself, through your own struggles. Oonk will develop ten cases in relation to migration, citizenship and identity. Examples are:

  • Who can apply for citizenship? From former slaves in the 19th century to refugees in 21th century.
  • Has a conservative religious hotel owner the right to refuse a double bedroom to a married gay couple?
  • Who may represent our country? Migration, Citizenship and Identity at the FIFA-World Cup 1930-2018.
Researcher
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Professor Oonk holds the endowed (Jean Monnet) chair: Europe in Globalizing World: Migration, Citizenship and Identity. This chair promotes education and research in the field of Global History, European Studies and National Identity. The Jean Monnet chairs are an initiative of the European Commission to promote education, research and reflection in the field of European integration studies at higher education institutions. Oonk is director of the Sport and Nation research program at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Oonk is also one of the academic advisers of EUROCLIO (European Association of History Educators). The chair will inspire the EUROCLIO program: Engaging History Education through memories and legacies of Europe's favorite sports.

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