It is not just in view of the recurring acts of violence being perpetrated by right-wing extremists and the steady distribution of right-wing propaganda in schools and other educational facilities that there is a clear need for teachers to adopt a systematic approach towards dealing with this social phenomenon. It is exactly for this purpose that the JGU Center for Continuing Education and the university's Department of History set up a specific continuing education program for teachers. The course is designed to provide the participants with basic information on the phenomenon of right-wing extremism, to inform them who they can turn to for help and advice, and to give them recommendations on how to deal with the phenomenon when they are confronted with it. The first part of the course deals with the historical roots and the background of right-wing extremism in Rhineland-Palatinate, and provides advice on how to handle right-wing propaganda on the Internet. The course takes the form of practical training on the second day. The participants are trained in how to argue in favor of the democratic viewpoint and how to effectively counter violent slogans that are inimical to human rights.
The target groups for this course are teachers of history, economics and politics, and social studies as well as teachers who give lessons or supervise projects in which right-wing extremism features. JGU teaching degree students are also welcome. The program consists of lectures, individual and group projects, and training in argumentation skills.