Activists, Advocates or Arbitrators? The Role of the Tutor in the Politics and International Relations Classroom

The IR Classroom is naturally a political space. The subject matter is often controversial, dealing with sensitive issues where there are often no correct answers. In addition, critical theorists have drawn attention to the fundamentally political nature of all theoretical discussion: the construction of any curriculum involves political choices. In light of this, there has always been debate within the profession about what the proper role of the tutor in the classroom is: a facilitator of a balanced discussion, an advocate of alternative positions or indeed an actor in the policy field. This issue has become more sensitive in recent times. On one hand, governments have increasingly demanded that universities play a greater part in preventing the radicalization of young people. On the other, the balance between the University’s mission to create a safe and inclusive space for all students and the duty of tutors to encourage debate and challenge students’ preconceptions has become a cause of confrontation on campus. This paper will report on the results of cross-national quantitative and qualitative research with both staff and students on how these two stakeholder groups view the issues surrounding politics in the classroom. It will then suggest ways forward for teachers of International Relations.