Peace and Nuclear War. ERIC Digest No. 21.

This ERIC Digest examines the nature of peace and nuclear war education, rationales for its inclusion in public school programs, and ways to deal with the controversial nature of the topics. A distinction between peace education and nuclear war education is followed by a description of four basic themes offered as a rationale for peace and nuclear war education: peace and nuclear war education are appropriate content for developing capable, thinking, competent young adults; peace and nuclear war-related content are highly relevant in today's world; openly addressing and confronting psychological concerns of young people regarding nuclear war with information and appropriate pedagogy can help young people cope with these concerns; and by addressing peace and nuclear issues, teachers can prepare young adults for participation in the nation's democratic institutions by helping them make decisions regarding leaders and policy. Challenges for dealing with the controversial nature of peace and nuclear war education include (1) those teaching peace and nuclear war education must familiarize themselves with both the content and processes necessary for credibly teaching this information and must take great care in selecting only age-appropriate lessons; (2) the controversial nature of peace and nuclear war education must be recognized, confronted, and honestly addressed; and (3) advocates of peace and nuclear war education need to work diligently, patiently, and cooperatively in bringing about the changes they seek. A list of 15 related resources concludes the digest. (LH)