Extremism Scholar Analyzes Influence of Rhetoric on Political Violence
Explore how extremist rhetoric can fuel political violence in this classroom lesson with analysis from a leading scholar.
Note: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
The assassination of Charlie Kirk is drawing reaction and concern around the world. Kirk's widow Erica spoke for the first time last night, vowing that his movement will not only continue, but grow. Meanwhile, concerns about political violence and security for political figures continue to rise. Lisa Desjardins speaks with Cynthia Miller-Idriss at American University for more.
View the transcript of the story.
Discussion Questions
- Who was Charlie Kirk?
- What is political rhetoric? (see this definition via Cambridge Univ.)
- Why does political rhetoric sometimes lead to political violence, according to Cynthia Miller-Idriss?
- When was the level of political violence as high as it is now, according to Miller-Idriss?
- How does prevention play a role in decreasing the level of rhetoric or violence, according to Miller-Idriss?
Focus Questions
- What are some ways Americans can engage in civil discourse and tamp down the political rhetoric?
- Media literacy: Why do you think the News Hour chose to interview an expert on extremism and polarization?
Extension Activity
Judy Woodruff's America at a Crossroads series examines growing polarization in the United States. Choose one of the lessons from the series to watch and answer the questions in your notebook or discuss with a neighbor. Or respond to the following question: How does the story demonstrate efforts towards civil dialogue?
Addressing Threats to Democracy
Using the challenges to democracy in recent years as a teachable moment, we created resources to help students reflect on threats to democratic principles and explore topics such as media literacy, civil discourse, voter suppression, and misinformation.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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