Perspective: In Teaching History and in Current Events

Today -- Friday, May 21 -- here in Addis Ababa, state-aligned media and various political actors have called for protests around the city against, what they are calling, foreign interference in Ethiopia's domestic affairs and state sovereignty. This comes in response to a few different issues, including statements from the United States and the European Union on the upcoming national elections here, but it's primarily in response to the situation in northern Ethiopia in the region of Tigray. Weighing into the history and politics of this conflict is not my intent with this post. Instead, I'm reminded today of a class I had with my 9th grade Social Studies students back in November, where we were learning about the historical thinking concept of “Perspective.” That lesson seems pertinent today.