What is a bias incident? Bias incidents are any acts directed against people or property that are motivated by prejudice based on national origin, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, social group affiliation, ability or appearance. These include hate crimes ranging from violent assault and harassment to vandalism and graffiti, as well as hate speech, hate literature and derogatory language and imagery in the media. The bias incidents discussed in this case are primarily acts motivated by prejudice based on national origin, race, religion, ethnicity, and appearance. Some of these incidents also contain a gender component when the target is selected in part because of gender. For example, Muslim women are sometimes targeted because they are wearing a headscarf.

 Words can be as destructive as weapons. It is important to note that civil and human rights violations often start with words used to incite violence, which can then progress to physical violence. Psychological and social science research shows that hate speech is a method of dehumanization. Dehumanizing “others” through propaganda permits and promotes violent acts against the “others.” Once someone is no longer understood to be human, they no longer receive the protection of basic human rights or dignity in the mind of the perpetrator. If we want to prevent violence, it is important that we do not tolerate hateful/hurtful speech.

What is a hate crime?

When bias motivates an unlawful act it is considered a hate crime. Hate crimes not only touch the individual victim, but also affect the entire group associated with the particular bias. Unfair and inaccurate stereotyping (or group blame) can make victims of all who share the same race, religion, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. Race and religion inspire most hate crimes, but hate wears many faces.

In many states, conviction for a hate crime carries stiffer penalties than the same crime committed without a bias motive. The FBI is required by Congress to collect and compile hate crime statistics from law enforcement agencies throughout the entire country. According to FBI statistics, hate crimes against Muslims increased 1600% between the year 2000 and 2001. It is believed that this represents a major backlash related to the September 11 terrorist attacks. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee recorded over 700 violent incidents targeting Arab Americans or those perceived to be Arabs or Muslims during the first nine weeks following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Bias Incidents in Minnesota: A Summary of Findings

• General Findings

The impact of September 11 on refugee and immigrant communities varies. Members of Arab and Muslim communities have reported both public (from official government sources) and private (private individual, corporate, institutional, social, etc.) forms of bias. Communities that are mistakenly identified as Muslim or Arab (such as the Sikh community) report experiencing private forms of bias, but not public. Other groups, primarily individuals who are nationals of certain countries, were required to register with the United States government and be fingerprinted or photographed. Although representatives of Hispanic, Asian and Pacific-Islander communities state that they are not experiencing many problems related to September 11, members of these groups do experience the impact of changes in immigration policy and other changes in the laws that impact immigrants, in particular.

• Public Bias

Public bias against refugees and immigrants in Minnesota takes many forms: FBI agents have interrogated some refugees and immigrants from particular countries. People reported that FBI agents interviewed them in their own homes, sometimes frightening their children. Often the agents arrived unannounced. Agents sometimes did not permit Muslim women to cover themselves with their headscarves, and denied them access to their telephones or lawyers. Other refugees and foreign visitors report feeling humiliated during the special registration process by government officials. Muslim and Arab organizations, as well as members of the Sikh, Somali, and Indonesian communities report that government legislation, like the PATRIOT Act and the proposed “PATRIOT Act II” infringe upon civil liberties and circumscribe the rights of refugees and immigrants, regardless of their national origin or religion. Most refugee and immigrant groups in Minnesota are adversely affected by immigration changes. These changes included delayed visa applications, slowed family reunification, backlogged citizenship interviews, reduced immigration quotas, and instances of abuse of discretion by immigration officials. Some refugees and their advocates also report that discrimination based on national origin profiling by government agencies and officials limits their ability to access local services.

Police misconduct is a particular area of concern for members of the Somali community. They describe incidents of physical abuse, false arrests, harassment, profiling, and excessive use of force against community members, including children. Muslim religious leaders voice concern with government policies that restrict charitable giving by closing down Islamic charities not charged with any crime.

Representatives of many refugee and immigrant communities living in Minnesota identify as major problems the fear of public discrimination and the belief that the U.S. government will target group members. Survivors of torture and political refugees were severely traumatized by the media images of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Others felt “less than other Americans” from being denied the opportunity to grieve and/or by being improperly identified with terrorism. Many groups admit that members are fearful that the U.S. government will think they are terrorists or undesirable citizens and will force them to leave the U.S. or will indefinitely detain them.

• Private Bias

Private bias against refugees and immigrants also takes many forms including 1) verbal harassment, including the use of obscenities, racist jokes, racial put-downs, name calling, and inappropriate references to religion, dress, national origin or terrorism; 2) obscene gestures and stares in public places; and 3) traffic and highway provocations. Although most incidents of private bias fall into the three categories above, some refugees and immigrants are also victims of violent hate crimes including beatings in public spaces such as on buses, at bus stops and in grocery stores. Others are harassed by telephone, e-mail, or through the Internet, or have had property vandalized.

Members of Sikh, Muslim and Arab communities report high levels of national origin/religious profiling by the airline industry and treatment that violates their civil rights and dignity. Some East Africans, Muslims, and Arabs believe that they are victims of employment discrimination including denial of employment or release from positions without cause. These groups also report instances of housing discrimination including denial of housing, false evictions, and differential treatment.

Putting the Minnesota Experience in Context

Despite the existence of public and private bias in Minnesota, leaders of organizations serving Arabs, Muslims, and Sikhs note that in comparison with the rest of the country, Minnesota is a relatively open, accepting and safe community for refugees and immigrants. Minnesota’s political leaders, including the former Governor and U.S. Representatives, are vocal in their support of Minnesota’s immigrant and refugee communities, significantly helping the situation. Similarly, local law enforcement and community organizations generally welcome cooperation with immigrant and refugee groups; and the groups report that much of the public is tolerant and even warm.

For more information on the national experience of affected groups, please see the following websites where reports on bias incidents, hate crimes and stereotyping can be downloaded.

• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, “Report on Hate Crimes & Discrimination Against Arab Americans: The Post-September 11 Backlash” September 11, 2001-October 11, 2002
• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), “The Status of Muslim Civil Rights in the United States 2002: Stereotypes and Civil Liberties,” “The Status of Muslim Civil Rights in the United States 2003: Guilt by Association”
• Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund, “Wrong Then, Wrong Now: Racial Profiling Before and After September 11, 2001”
• Minnesota Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights,  “Briefing on Civil Rights Issues Facing Muslims and Arab Americans in Minnesota Post-September 11” February 12, 2002

Bias in U.S. History

American history or government classes may want to explore Handout #3: “Case Study of Bias Post-September 11” alongside a discussion of Japanese American internment during WWII. An entire lesson plan on group blame bringing together the September 11 terrorist attacks and Japanese internment, “Beyond Blame: Reacting to the Terrorist Attack,” can be downloaded from the Education Development Center. Additional information on the Japanese American experience is available on the Children of the Camps web site.

Federal Hate Crimes Statistics

The Federal Government reports a seventeen-fold increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes between 2000 and 2001. Meanwhile, Muslim and Arab organizations have received four times the number of complaints of harassment, violence and other September 11 related bias incidents than received by the FBI. These numbers become even more significant given recent reports produced by the Justice Department and the Southern Poverty Law Center that the FBI hate crimes statistics gathering process is riddled with errors and omissions that have resulted in dramatic underreporting of hate crimes in the U.S., with the FBI reporting less than 1/5 of all estimated hate crimes.

International Human Rights Standards Relating to Discrimination

The United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) call on states parties to refrain from racial discrimination (including discrimination based on ethnicity or national origin) and require them to provide their residents with equal protection of the law. This includes calling for bias-motivated violence to be punished by the state but without indicating how such acts should be punished. Some countries, like the United States, have adopted the position that bias-motivated violence must be uniquely criminalized through hate crimes legislation (see above). Copies of these international treaties are available through the United Nation’s Cyber School Bus website.

Religion and Culture

What is Islam? Who are Muslims?

Islam is an Arabic word meaning submission to God. As a religion, Islam calls for the complete acceptance of and submission to the teachings and guidance of God. The word has the same root as “salaam” which means peace. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are monotheistic religions – meaning that they believe in one God. A Muslim is a follower of Islam. The Arabic word for God is “Allah”; and the Muslim holy book is the Qur’an (or Koran). Muslims recognize Jewish and Christian prophets from Adam to Abraham, Moses, Solomon, and Jesus. Muslims believe that the Qur’an is God’s word as revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. Muhammad is respected as a “messenger” from God and the final prophet who completed the revelation started by the earlier prophets named above. Muhammad was born at Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, which is now the site of the largest Muslim temple. The Kaaba (considered by Muslims to be the first house of worship of One God that was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael) is located in Mecca. The Hadith are the teachings, sayings, and actions of Muhammad reported by his followers and companions and serve as a model of conduct for Muslims.

There are an estimated 7 million Muslims in the U.S., representing a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and national origins.

The Five Pillars of Islam provide the framework of Muslim spiritual life: 1) Muslims believe that there is one God and that Muhammad is his messenger; 2) Muslims pray five times a day facing Mecca as a duty towards God; 3) During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, which represents self-purification and the denial of evil intentions and desires; 4) Muslims are required to provide zakat, a contribution from their surplus earnings to aid the poor and needy or benefit the welfare of society; and 5) Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimage (or hajj) to Mecca, at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able.

Finally, it is important to note that not all Arabs are Muslim (most are Muslim but millions of Arabs are Christians and thousands are Jewish) and not all Muslims are Arab (85% of the world’s Muslims are not Arab). Arabs are a linguistic and cultural community with a common history. To learn more about Arabs, please visit the website of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. The Detroit Free Press has also put together a guide entitled “100 Questions and Answers About Arab Americans.” 

Why do some Muslim women wear head coverings?

Islamic rules for modest dress apply equally to both women and men who are not supposed to expose certain parts of their bodies or wear certain materials. Many, but not all, Muslim women, wear the headscarf, or hijab, which covers most or all of a woman’s hair. The purpose of wearing a headscarf, a practice often referred to as veiling, is for modesty and self-protection. The headscarves that Muslim women wear vary according to culture. For example, differences in type, length, and color reflect cultural differences rather than religious prescriptions. (These scarves are also called by different names such as the hijab, chador, or burqu’a) Those who wear the hijab believe that it is required by Islam, citing scriptures from the Qu’ran (Koran) or the hadith as the basis of the practice.

In some countries ruled by Islamic law, like Saudi Arabia and Iran, women are required to wear the hijab. (During the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan, women were required to wear a burqu’a, a head covering that covers the entire body and face.) In most countries around the world, women are not required to wear the hijab, though they may face cultural or religious pressure to do so. Often, even in the United States, Muslim women choose to wear the hijab of their own accord. Many of these women and girls believe that the hijab symbolizes their personal commitment to God and to Islam, and is an outward reflection of their identity. The hijab can be understood to represent the integrity and dignity of women; be a source of modesty; serve as a reminder of a woman’s religious commitment; act as a shield between a woman or girl and a sexualized and immodest culture; offer protection from unwanted male attention; or demonstrate one of the highest forms of Da’wah – inviting people to the understanding of Islam. Many women who choose to cover their hair and/or bodies with loose fitting clothing identify the hijab as a source of strength and liberation.

Other Muslim women disagree and choose not to wear the hijab. Often, these women believe that veiling is a cultural practice that has been associated with Islam rather than a requirement of the religion itself. They interpret scriptures about veiling as having symbolic, rather than literal meaning. Some of these women argue that men in patriarchal cultures have used the veil as a method of exercising power and domination over women. While some of these women believe that their Muslim sisters would be more liberated if they did not wear the veil, others believe that their Muslim sisters should have the freedom to make their own decision based upon their individual spiritual beliefs and respect their decision to veil.

Many Muslim women, whether or not they wear a headscarf, believe that the wearing of the hijab should not be forced or imposed. Rather, Muslim women should be allowed the freedom to choose whether or not to veil so that veiling reflects a personal commitment between the woman and God.

For more information and facts about Islam, please visit the website of the Council on American Islamic Relations or the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. 

What is a Sikh?

Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world. Sikhism teaches that all humans are equal and that they can realize the divine within them through devotion to God, truthful living, pursuit of justice, and service to humanity. Sikhs are the 26 million people who adhere to Sikhism, including an estimated 500,000 Sikhs living in the U.S. Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak and shaped by his nine successors in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in the Punjab, the Sikh homeland in South Asia. (Guru means spiritual enlightener and divine messenger, while Sikh means disciple.) Sikhism recognizes a single Creator who sustains all people of all faiths. The Sikh religion is profoundly egalitarian. It does not recognize racial, class, caste, or other earthly distinctions and recognizes the complete equality between women and men in all spheres of life. Sikhism does not have a clergy, believing that with God’s grace, all human beings are capable of understanding and appreciating God.

Guru Granth Sahib: the Sikh Scripture

Kakaar: Sikh articles of faith

Gurdwara: Sikh house of worship

Why do Sikhs wear turbans?

Sikhs display their commitment to their beliefs by wearing the Sikh articles of faith, all of which have a deep spiritual meaning that is difficult to translate into words. The wearing of the turban is one article of faith and is a symbol of royalty and dignity. The wearing of a turban is mandatory for Sikh men and optional for Sikh women. Another physical article of faith is kesh, the wearing of long unshorn hair, symbolizing spirituality. Neither Sikh men nor Sikh women cut their hair. The remaining articles of faith include: Kangha (comb symbolizing hygiene and discipline), Kara (steel bracelet, symbolizing restraint of action and remembrance of God), Kachha (under-shorts, signifying self control and chastity), and Kirpan (ceremonial sword, symbol of dignity and the Sikh struggle against injustice).

For more information on Sikhism or to download an informational brochure, visit the Sikh Coalition website. Further information is available at the Sikhism Home Page and Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).

Immigration

Why do refugees and immigrants come to the United States?

According to the former Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS), 849,807 immigrants were legally admitted to the U.S. in 2000. Economics played a role in those arrivals, but family, work, and basic freedoms are also significant considerations influencing people’s decision to come to this country. Of the immigrants coming legally to the U.S. in 2000, 67-70% came to be reunited with immediate family members (parents, children, siblings, or spouses), 12-15% were sponsored by U.S. employers to fill in positions for which no U.S. worker is available, and an additional 12-15% came as refugees or asylees, fleeing persecution and looking for safety and freedom in the U.S. Like generations of immigrants before them, these immigrants came to this country looking for a better life, and their energy and ideas enrich all of our communities.

Do non-citizens have the same rights as citizens?

Though the civil rights and freedoms of refugees and immigrants vary dependent upon their immigration status, all residents of the United States (both legal and illegal) possess human rights.

Human Rights

What are human rights?

All people are born with human rights. Human rights are equally held by all persons and can never be revoked. They are the basic standards without which people cannot live in dignity. Unlike civil rights, which are the rights of citizens as determined by a particular country, human rights apply to all people at all times wherever they are.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the most widely accepted statement of human rights in the world, covering economic, social, cultural, political, and civil rights. The document is universal (it applies to all people everywhere). It is a statement of intent and a set of principles to which United Nations member states (including the United States) commit themselves in an effort to provide a life of human dignity for all people. The UDHR has acquired the status of customary international law.

Below are the human rights protected by the UDHR. For the Handouts #2 & #3, rights numbered 1, 2, 3, 11, 18, 19, 20 are particularly noteworthy.

The 30 rights in simplified terms:

1) all human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights;

2) all people are entitled to rights without distinction based on race, color, sex, language, religion, opinion, origin, property, birth or residency;

3) right to life, liberty and security of person;

4) freedom from slavery;

5) freedom from torture;

6) right to be treated equally by the law;

7) right to equal protection by the law;

8) right for all to effective remedy by competent tribunal;

9) freedom from arbitrary arrest;

10) right to fair public hearing by Independent tribunal;

11) right to presumption of innocence until proven guilty at public trial with all guarantees necessary for defense;

12) right to privacy in home, family, and correspondence;

13) freedom of movement in your own country and the right to leave and return to any countries;

14) right to political asylum in other countries;

15) right to nationality;

16) right to marriage and family and to equal right of men and women during and after marriage;

17) right to own property;

18) freedom of thought and conscience and religion;

19) freedom of opinion and expression to seek, receive and impart information;

20) freedom of association and assembly;

21) right to take part in and select government;

22) right to social security and realization of economic, social, and cultural rights;

23) right to work, to equal pay for equal work and to form and join trade unions;

24) right to reasonable hours of work and paid holidays;

25) right to adequate living standard for self and family, including food, housing, clothing, medical care and social security;

26) right to education;

27) right to participate in cultural life and to protect intellectual property rights;

28) right to social and international order permitting these freedoms to be realized;

29) each person has responsibilities to the community and others as essential for a democratic society;

30) repression in the name of human rights is unacceptable.

To download a plain text or original version for distribution in your class, or to use an interactive web curriculum on the UDHR, visit the UN Cyber School Bus Website.

Post-September 11, 2001 Government Response

In the aftermath of September 11, the Executive Branch has detained some U.S. citizens, as well as some non-citizens residing in the United States, as ‘enemy combatants.’ Although none of these individuals has been transported to Guantanamo Bay (contact the Education Program at The Advocates for Human Rights to receive more information) to date, all have been denied the full protection of the U.S. judicial system. Though U.S. citizens cannot be tried before a military tribunal according to the President’s military orders, U.S. citizens are being detained indefinitely, without adequate access to attorneys, witnesses, or the information that is being used to detain them.

What is the PATRIOT Act?

The USA PATRIOT Act was passed just six weeks after the September 11 attacks. This law expands government surveillance capabilities, toughens criminal penalties for terrorists, and allows greater sharing of intelligence information. Several bills are under consideration by Congress that will amend or repeal large sections of the PATRIOT ACT, including those criticized by civil rights and human rights organizations.

Refer to Excerpts from Human Rights First, on the PATRIOT Act. Sections 215 and 505 of the PATRIOT Act allow the FBI to secretly access personal information about Americans (including library, medical, education, Internet, television, and financial records) without demonstrating that the target is involved in espionage or terrorism. Prior to the PATRIOT Act, personal records could only be accessed by the FBI if there were “specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the person to whom the records pertain is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power.” The PATRIOT Act dropped this requirement of individualized suspicion.

Even members of Congress most closely identified with the administration have expressed unease at the Attorney General’s constant quest for new powers. When the Attorney General unilaterally lifted restrictions on FBI spying, for example, Representative James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) remarked, “I get very, very queasy when federal law enforcement is effectively…going back to the bad old days when the FBI was spying on people like Martin Luther King.” The Justice Department’s plans for the TIPS program elicited the following response from Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “We don’t want to see a 1984 Orwellian-type situation here, where neighbors are reporting on neighbors.” In response to the leaked draft of the Patriot II proposals, former Representative Bob Barr (R-GA) remarked that the USA PATRIOT Act had asked for “all sorts of powers far beyond what any normal person would deem necessary to fight terrorist acts. They got an awful lot of what they asked for. Now, just a year and a half later—without the opportunity to even digest the enormous powers they got in the PATRIOT Act—apparently they’re getting ready to draft another bill to get more powers that go far beyond what was in the PATRIOT Act.” Meanwhile, in July 2003, the House of Representatives voted to prevent the Justice Department from funding one of the PATRIOT Act powers, the use of “sneak-and-peek” warrants. These warrants allow law enforcement officials to covertly search through private property while the owner is away and then further delay notification of the search. The amendment, adopted by a vote of 309-118, was proposed by Representative Butch Otter (R-ID).

The international community has vigorously condemned – and refused to cooperate with – core U.S. counter terrorism strategies of relying on extra-legal systems of indefinite detention. For example, about 680 detainees are now housed at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, including nationals from 40 or more countries, speaking 17 different languages. (Four are children, the youngest aged 13.) The British government has advanced “strong reservations about the military commission” planned for some of the detainees, and some 200 Members of Parliament signed a petition calling for repatriation of the British detainees for trial in the United Kingdom. Spain announced that it would provide no assistance to any case to be tried in a military commission. And in response to reports that the U.S. intended to provide special treatment for U.K. and Australian defendants brought before military commissions, an Egyptian commentator noted that exempting British and Australian suspects from the death penalty invites accusations of “selective justice,” and “risk[s] further condemnation on an already sensitive issue.”

Why are human rights organizations critical of the PATRIOT Act?

Human rights organizations (and civil liberties organizations) are concerned that the PATRIOT Act is too expansive in its powers and is vulnerable to abuse by government officials. In addition, besides the actual content of the provision which limits freedom of speech, association, and information, the PATRIOT Act allows for the secret and indefinite detention of individuals who may not have any criminal or terrorist charges against them. Human rights groups have also criticized the U.S. government for its unlawful behavior with regard to the Guantanamo Bay detainees, as well as allegations that the U.S. is sending prisoners abroad to countries that use torture as an interrogation tactic. Already, under the PATRIOT Act, hundreds of immigrants have been detained and held without access to family, lawyers and the courts. Some immigrants in detention have been abused by their custodians.

For more information, see:

 Human Rights First. “Assessing the New Normal: Liberty and Security for the Post September 11 United States,” (2003) “Imbalance of Powers” (9/2002-3/2003) “A Year of Loss” (9/2001-9/2002)

Migration Policy Institute, “America’s Challenge: Domestic Security, Civil Liberties, and National Unity After September 11”

The American Civil Liberties Union.

Minneapolis legislation To review the full text of the Minneapolis City Council Resolution 2300R-109, Defending the Bill of Rights, visit the transcripts from the April 4, 2003 City Council meeting. 

Post-September 11 Resources for Educators

Anti-Defamation League.  Grade Levels: Pre-K-12.  Content Areas: Art, Civics, Dance, English, Language Arts, Social Studies.  Recommended: "Lessons for a Lifetime: Remembering September 11, 2001."

Choices for the 21st Century.  Grade Levels: 9-12.  Content Areas: Global Studies, Government, U.S. and World History.  Recommended: No lessons; teacher and student texts available for ordering.  Suggested reading: "Responding to Terrorism: The Challenges for Democracy."

Education Development Center.  Grade Levels: 6-12.  Content Areas: Civics, Sociology, U.S. History.  Recommended: "Beyond Blame: Reacting to the Terrorist Attack."

Educators for Social Responsibility.  Grade Levels: K-12.  Content Areas: Civics, Language Arts, Sociology, U.S. and World History.  Recommended: "Analyzing 9/11."

Facing History and Ourselves.  Grade Levels: 9-12.  Content Areas: Civics, Language Arts, Religion, U.S. and World History.  Recommended: "Response to the Events of September 11, 2001."

Families and Work Institute.  Grade Levels: Pre-K through grade 12.  Content Areas: Civics, Community Service, Language Arts, U.S. History.  Recommended: "9/11 as History."

Global Kids.  Grade Levels: 6-12.  Content Areas: Community Service, Current Events, Journalism.  Recommended: "September 11 and Beyond: Global Kids Respond." In addition, students are urged to visit this site due to much of the material on the site being written and supervised by youth.

Pluralism Project.  Grade Levels: 6-12.  Content Areas: Civics, Current Events, Journalism.  Recommended: "Backlash and Bias in Schools."

Resource Center for the Americas.  Grade Levels: K-12. Content Areas: Civics, Foreign Language, History, Language Arts, World Cultures Recommended: No lessons; book orders only. Topics for books include anti-bias, immigration, multi-culturalism. Teacher texts on human rights topics are also available.

Rethinking Schools. Grade Levels: 5-12.  Content Areas: Civics, Current Events, Language Arts, Music.  Recommended: Topics for lesson plans include anti-war songs, Gulf Wars, and terrorism. Also, students may check out the "Just for fun" sections for activities on important educators and world geography.

Social Science Research Council.  Grade Levels: 9-12 Content Areas: Civics/Government, Economics, U.S.* and World* History, U.S. Government and Politics*, World Cultures, World Geography (* denotes AP option).  Recommended: Topics for lesson plans include democracy, fundamentalism, globalization, peace building, and terrorism.