In a classroom setting that is available online to a universal audience, more than three dozen Northeastern students have taken on the polarizing issues of racism, anti-Semitism, and the rule of law in this age of misinformation and tumult.
It’s part of the ongoing Myra Kraft Open Classroom series that is focused on a provocative theme this semester: “Repairing a Divided America: Race, Hate Crimes, and Reconciliation.”
“We have addressed a broad range of controversial subjects,” says Ted Landsmark, the distinguished professor of public policy and urban affairs and director of the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy. “We have created a safe space for discussion and we have welcomed opposing viewpoints because we think that in a truth-seeking academic environment like Northeastern, given the diversity of students and faculty on campus and the extent to which we engage with a wide range of communities adjacent to our various campuses, we have a responsibility to openly discuss subjects that may sometimes feel uncomfortable for the participants.”