The final lesson in the "What Makes Democracy Work?" series examines the connections between imagination, literature, and democracy. Class members listen to a podcast, read an excerpt from Azar Nafisi's, The Republic of Imagination, and consider how literature permits readers to experience the world from different perspectives. The lesson ends with a discussion of Nafisi's argument that literature can not only change how we perceive and act toward others but how we perceive participation in democracy as well.

Concepts

american democracy, democracy, literature

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Create a listening guide to help learners stay focused while listening to the podcast
• Pause the audio frequently to check for understanding and permit listeners to ask questions

Classroom Considerations

• Requires copies of the excerpt from The Republic of Imagination

Pros

• Underscores the need for a free press and free access to the arts

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.5 RL.9-10.6 RL.11-12.1 RL.11-12.5 RL.11-12.6