Defending Democracy:
Lessons for Building Resilience and Taking Action

Part 1: Introduction to Democracy and Authoritarianism

The first section of the curriculum introduces democracy and authoritarianism, including common practices and contemporary examples.

• Lesson 1, “Introducing Democracy and Authoritarianism,” introduces students to the concepts of democracy and authoritarianism. Students will consider the ways that authoritarians exploit mental and physical reactions to maintain control. They will also learn a technique for nervous system regulation that can be used to maintain calm in increasingly uncertain times. 

• Lesson 2, “Democratic and Authoritarian Practices,” activates students’ prior knowledge by asking them to categorize democratic and authoritarian practices. It also asks students to consider the state of democracy in their own country.

• Lesson 3, “Contemporary Democracy and Authoritarianism,” asks students to explore real-world examples of democratic and authoritarian practices from across the globe. Case studies include: Belarus, Ecuador, Nigeria, Samoa, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.

Part 2: Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny

The second section of the curriculum includes 12 lessons, each based on one chapter from On Tyranny.

• Lesson 4, “Do Not Obey in Advance,” invites students to explore the concept of anticipatory obedience. In the context of both school and world history, students begin to consider the important role that critical thinking plays in making decisions to go with the flow or to stand against the current. Students will learn about a public protest by women in Nazi Germany.

• Lesson 5, “Make Eye Contact and Small Talk,” invites students to connect with their peers through the practice of making eye contact and small talk. It also gives students the opportunity to express their creativity and build community through abstract contour drawing.

• Lesson 6, “Be Kind to Our Language,” asks students to consider the content they view on social media and to reflect on the role of algorithms in limiting our perspectives. Students will respond to quotes from famous authors on the power of reading. The lesson also provides students with the opportunity to build a reading habit.

• Lesson 7, “Believe in Truth,” gives students the opportunity to explore why truth is essential and how we can protect our democratic values by standing against misinformation. It asks students to analyze case studies of historical events affected by the spread of misinformation, including: The Spanish-American War, the Great Influenza, the Reichstag Fire, and the Tet Offensive. 

• Lesson 8, “Investigate,” encourages students to be critical of the information they read online and in the news. It teaches students about media literacy, encouraging them to be aware and cautious of misinformation and moral panics. Students will examine a case study about a moral panic in India.

• Lesson 9, “Take Responsibility for the Face of the World,” emphasizes positive artistic expression as a tool for civic action. Students will learn about visual artists who use their work to respond to authoritarianism and engage in art-making activities that transform public or personal symbols into messages of democracy and hope.

• Lesson 10, “Listen for Dangerous Words,” provides students the opportunity to analyze the historical use of dangerous words and their significance. Through this exercise, students will learn how to spot manipulative language today and ensure that its use does not undermine democratic institutions. Students will examine speeches by world leaders including Mao Zedong, Joseph McCarthy, George W. Bush, Muammar Gaddafi, and Viktor Orbán.

• Lesson 11, “Contribute to Good Causes,” explores the connection between supporting civil society organizations and upholding democracy. Students will understand that freedom of association is antithetical to authoritarianism.  Students will also examine campaigns of US-based nonprofit organizations.

• Lesson 12, “Establish a Private Life,” allows students to examine their relationship to privacy and consider how privacy supports democracy. Students will also learn steps that they can take to enhance their digital security. Students will examine case studies of digital privacy violations in Bangladesh and Turkey, as well as the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

• Lesson 13, “Practice Corporeal Politics,” introduces students to various acts of civil disobedience. The goal is to inspire students to be agents of positive change in their communities. Students will review historical and contemporary examples of activism from around the globe.

• Lesson 14, “Learn From Peers in Other Countries,” provides students the opportunity to learn from young people in other countries by studying youth-led organizations that advocate for human rights, democratic values, and more inclusive and just societies. Examples are drawn from organizations working in Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya, and Palestine. Students are invited to reflect on their own power and agency to influence and change society for the better. 

• Lesson 15, “Be a Global Citizen and Be as Courageous as You Can,” explores the meaning of patriotism and what it means to students. It helps students to understand the role of global citizens in fostering an equitable and sustainable world, and to reflect on the importance of courage in protecting democracy.

The Defending Democracy curriculum would not have been possible without the support of an incredible group of educators. We are grateful for their contributions to the project. 

Daniel Bal
Daniel Bal is an instructional designer with experience in educational consulting, curriculum and assessment development, and ELA instruction. He holds a master’s in secondary English education and has almost 20 years of combined experience in the classroom and creating content for various educational platforms. Daniel consults on creating a variety of academic materials for educational publishers with the goal of illustrating the value of reading, writing, and research, emphasizing their importance academically, creatively, and professionally. 

Acheron Damercy
Acheron Damercy is an informal educator and curriculum creator based in Rochester, New York. They specialize in inclusive and interdisciplinary learning in a museum setting, with content areas including Black history, indigenous studies, LGBTQ+ history, disability justice, and ethics in STEM. Acheron currently serves as the Director of Education at the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and is pursuing a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction at SUNY Empire State University.

Christina Dawkins
Christina Dawkins is a human rights activist focused on combating modern-day slavery. She founded A4Abolitionist, a human rights consultancy where she has developed programs for Creative Time, the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, Yale, and the Congressional Hunger Center. Christina specializes in human trafficking, incarceration, and immigrant detention, using digital storytelling, systems mapping, and participatory research to center BIPOC women’s experiences. She holds an MA in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University.

Hana Feit
Hana Feit is a teacher, student, and artist who developed her practice in the New York City public schools she grew up in. In addition to 6-12 grade classroom teaching, she has been a curriculum writer, instructional coach, professional learning leader, and worked to bring disability justice frameworks to public special education.

Mary Finn
Mary Finn is an experienced educator and curriculum designer who has worked in education for over 25 years at the classroom, school, and district levels in both public and independent schools. She has a deep commitment to social studies education that empowers students to understand their world and their responsibilities within it. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Curriculum Design at Coursemojo, where she led the development of engaging, discussion-based lessons that foster critical thinking and civic responsibility.

Danièle Fogel
Danièle Fogel is a teacher educator, former high school teacher, and education consultant. As a teacher, Danièle taught English as a Foreign Language, Literature, and Reading and Writing in France, Cameroon, and the United States. Danièle has designed and facilitated professional development for teachers, and has taught undergraduate and graduate students studying to become teachers. Danièle has a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, two MAs from UC Berkeley and NYU, and a BA from Oberlin College.  

Esther Hurh
Esther Hurh is a highly seasoned consultant with nearly 30 years of experience in curriculum development, facilitation and training, project management, and strategic planning.  Her content areas of expertise include diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Asian American history and racial identity, and Holocaust education. Esther embraces collaboration and lifelong learning, and does this work with a commitment to excellence, justice, and inclusiveness. She lives in Chicago, Illinois and is humbled at every tap dance class.

Mariah Rankine-Landers
Mariah Rankine-Landers is a visionary educator, social justice facilitator, and founder of Studio Pathways. With a deep commitment to creative education for social change, she supports communities through transformative workshops and curriculum development. Mariah is a creative strategist, known for her innovative approaches to political education, cultural activism, and social transformation, making a lasting impact on the communities she serves.

Kaviya Sekar
Kaviya Sekar is an education consultant specializing in instructional design. Their work spans projects like climate justice curricula tailored to the Global South, life-skills resources for problem-solving, assessment tools for new teachers, and lesson plans on gender politics. Kaviya focuses on data-driven insights and practical implementation to encourage critical thinking and active participation among both educators and students.

Jinnie Spiegler
Jinnie Spiegler has been ADL Education’s Director of Curriculum and Training since 2013 where she creates curriculum, professional development and other resource material on anti-bias and social justice education. Jinnie has worked for over 20 years in K-12 education for New York City and national educational organizations. Her professional interests include civics, anti-bias and social justice education, children’s literature, project-based and social-emotional learning. Jinnie has a master’s degree in Education from Lesley University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampshire College.

Susie Steinbach
Susie L. Steinbach is a Professor of History at Hamline University who has written extensively on nineteenth-century Britain, with particular emphasis on gender and the law. She is the author of Understanding the Victorians, 3rd edition (Routledge, 2023) and Women in England 1760–1914: A Social History (2004). She is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and an admirer of Timothy Snyder’s works.