All resources in Aspen Creek Middle School

Refugee Scholars Primary Source Workshop

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The workshop asks students to consider what foundations can do in times of global crisis by placing them in the role of Rockefeller Foundation (RF) program officers during World War II. As were the real program officers, students will be tasked with selecting a limited number of scholar applicants for aid in a life-threatening situation. Working in groups, students will read documents related to ten scholars who represent a variety of nationalities, backgrounds, and scholarly disciplines. Students will then select four candidates, and must be prepared to articulate the reasoning behind theirdecisions. This exercise enables students to imagine and grapple with the difficult choices RF officials had to make in one historical example of how foundation philanthropy has responded to humanitarian crisis. Students are encouraged to use this exercise as a springboard for further research into current scholar rescue initiatives, and/or policies and practices pertaining to refugees today.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture, Lesson, Lesson Plan, Primary Source, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: The Rockefeller Archive Center