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Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Times
Here's how to teach controversial history
'The repeated refusal by Palestinian groups to accept the existence of Israel is a major obstacle to peace,' says a teenager passionately. 'There cannot be a negotiation when one side refuses to accept the other's existence.' Half an hour later, the same boy is arguing with what sounds like equal conviction that 'Israel has to be accountable for its actions. Until then, there will be no peace, just a surrender, and the people of Palestine will never accept surrender disguised as diplomacy.' He is not a boy who doesn't know what he thinks, but a pupil at Lancaster Royal Grammar School (LRGS), speaking in a debate between 13 to 15-year-olds from five schools in England, Scotland and Spain on which side is to blame for the failure of the Middle East peace process. In order that they should learn that the world is more complicated than good-and-evil narratives suggest, and that there is usually something to be said for the other person's point of view, pupils make both sides of each argument. Two teams of pupils take opposite sides in a debate and then swap causes after a break. The debates are organised by Parallel Histories, a charity set up by Mike Davies. When we shared a house at university, I would not have fingered him as a catalyst for social change. He was absurdly good looking and more into rowing than studying. But as a Quaker partly brought up in Belfast, he was interested in questions of peace and conflict. And he did like a good argument. After a successful business career, he became a history teacher at LRGS at 41. He taught feudalism by making a pile of desks, chairs and children to illustrate how uncomfortable it is at the bottom of the social hierarchy, and reconstructed the Battle of Hastings with a horse as a prop. But what he really wanted to teach was the historical roots of modern conflicts. So he organised a trip to Northern Ireland, where pupils met ex-IRA and ex-UVF fighters, and one to Israel/Palestine, where they talked to militants on both sides and played football in a refugee camp. Mike went back to Israel on a Winston Churchill fellowship to find out how history was taught. He realised it was impossible to teach a neutral history. Every event could be seen from both points of view. 'Our voters and future leaders,' he wrote in an article, 'need to understand there are always competing narratives, and to pick apart the propaganda and the facts.' He set up Parallel Histories to make that happen. Mike died last year, but Parallel Histories is flourishing. Now run by a former Labour minister, Bill Rammell, it works with 1,700 schools, training teachers, organising debates and providing materials, such as official documents and eye-witness accounts. Most are in Britain, but nearly 400 are in America. It offers pupils a rare chance to learn about contested subjects such as the Middle East, Northern Ireland and the British Empire. Schools tend to avoid such difficult topics. By providing the materials and the framework, Parallel Histories makes them safe. It has organised debates on the Middle East between Jewish and Muslim schools and about Northern Ireland between Protestant and Catholic schools. Watching that debate this week, I felt something was happening that could help counteract the polarisation pulling people apart. Conflicts become intractable because both sides are convinced their point of view is the only legitimate one. Seeing the argument from the other side is essential to resolving any conflict. That's what Parallel Histories teaches participants to do. So a girl from O Castro, an international school in Spain, argues that Israel cannot make peace with Palestine's corrupt and chaotic leadership — and then, swapping sides, that Israel's illegal settlements mean it is not an honest negotiating partner. Her classmate points to Hamas's electoral victory in 2006 as evidence Palestinians are not interested in peace; then making the opposite argument, he quotes an incendiary comment from Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and asks how the Palestinians can negotiate with people who think like that. The aim is not to change pupils' minds but it sometimes happens. 'Because of my family background,' said Adnan, a pupil at LRGS, when I talked to pupils after the debate, 'I grew up 100 per cent supporting the Palestinians. I still have more sympathy for them, but I can now see where the Israelis are coming from.' Ben's journey took him in the opposite direction. 'I used to think Israel was in the right, but I've come to understand it's very complex. They've both done stuff to each other over the years.' Although it was conceived before social media became the main source of news for young people, the programme helps counter some of its effects. 'It's very easy to get brainwashed on TikTok,' says Lewis, from South Molton Community College in Devon. His classmate Taylor agrees. 'It's all from the Palestinian perspective.' Pupils are encouraged to question sources — essential in an era of fake news. I listened to a detailed argument between pupils from Farlington, an independent school in Sussex, and O Castro about the trustworthiness of each other's material. Pupils learn useful skills too. Debating is tough: you've got to marshal facts, structure an argument and look people in the eye. 'I wasn't that comfortable with public speaking,' says Alex, another Devonian. 'It's really built my confidence.' Some arguments are intense, but they're all polite: participants disagree agreeably. Parallel Histories may not bring about world peace, but teaching teenagers to see things from somebody else's point of view is a good start. Well done, Mike.
The Guardian
07-03-2025
- The Guardian
Five bars that show off London's status as ‘wine capital of the world'
This week, London was crowned 'wine capital of the world'. It's worth noting, perhaps, that this shiny new title comes from the annual Knight Frank Wealth Report, and is based on how many restaurants serve fine wines from the world's top 250 wine and champagne houses. If this is what matters to you when looking at a wine list, this would put London's wine offering ahead of New York, and even Paris. Below, the Guardian's resident wine expert Hannah Crosbie lists a few old and new wine bars that you can walk into and order a bottle anytime. You don't have to be rich to drink here (but I'm sure it helps). Here's a fun game if you're on a first date with someone who likes wine: ask them to rank the three Noble Rot restaurants. For me, Noble Rot Mayfair sits firmly at the top. Their 50-page wine list rests sweetly on the border that lies between the traditional and natural. In essence, wines that honour the environment, but lean on faithful expressions of the land they hail from. And, if you're a fan of mature, rarer wines, they work with The Wine Society for a special reserve list– one amassed from a reserve built up over their 150 years operating at a member-owned retailer. Loved by wine industry professionals for many reasons. Here are just a few: It's in the fabulously central Covent Garden. Their Franco-European food is seriously good. In summer, the pavement at its front is packed with rattan chairs. And, as its name suggests, they will only order 10 cases of any wine, meaning their list constantly changes – making it a good one to follow if you want to keep a finger on the pulse of London's evolving tastes. The natural wine bar has become pretty synonymous with east London life. Every month, I see a new one opening and I think the bubble will burst. Every month I'm proved wrong. Goodbye Horses opened only in August, but has already cemented itself as both a destination wine bar and a favourite among De Beauvoir locals. It believes a wine list should be 'as close to zero-zero as possible' – nothing added, nothing taken away. The interiors are impeccably designed, with a custom-made oak bar, delightful music and beguiling painted curtains. I am forever jealous of every person who lives in Camberwell: they get to live near The Camberwell Arms. It's now been a decade since the Victorian pub was refurbished by chef-director Mike Davies. Obviously, people come here for the food – you can find day boat fish, delica squash and their adored scotch bonnet pork fat on toast on the current menu – but you can also nip in for a quick drink. Their classic but playful wine list fits neatly on to a piece of A4 paper. A great example of how great wine is even being enjoyed in a pub setting. The front gets good sun in the summer months. Sign up to Feast Recipes from all our star cooks, seasonal eating ideas and restaurant reviews. Get our best food writing every week after newsletter promotion If you've been trying (and failing) to get a table at Tomos Parry's revered Mountain, take the road north to Half Cut Market. Their wine offering is curated by Mountain's wine manager, Holly Willcocks. Because wine importers love her, Half Cut punches way above its allocation for a wee restaurant on York Way. Ask for the special allocated stuff that's off-list for hand sale. The food is jubilant, and their skewer sessions (a skewer, flatbread, salad and glass of wine for £18) runs every Tuesday and Wednesday.
