Volume 2, Number 3, May 2002

Webquest on the India/Pakistan Conflict

Inroduction to the Webquest

Fatemesh Sheikh from the Lahore American School in Pakistan developed a webquest on the India/Pakistan Conflict. The curriculum rationale provided by Sheikh is as follows:

The children of today will be the policy makers of the future. By participating in this webquest, students will learn to analyze and understand material from a variety of web sites which will give them different perspectives about the situation in India and Pakistan. Students will independently formulate their viewpoints. They will then participate in effectively, clearly and persuasively articulating their proposals for a possible solution to a very real and sensitive world issue.

The friction between India and Pakistan must be of urgent interest and concern to the entire world. This is not only because both have the capability of nuclear warfare, but also because of the impact on the stability and economic potential of a region inhabited by over one billion people.

It is the attempt of this project to contribute towards peace and understanding between Pakistan and India in a small way...students need to realize that they can make a difference in creating a world free of conflict, hatred and war.

The Webquest Scenario

The scenario for this webquest is that World War III is about to occur. India and Pakistan are in a dispute over Kashmir. Negotiators have been unsuccessful in obtaining a peace agreement and various organizations are working to prevent the use of nuclear weapons. A Peace Summit has been called at the United Nations office in Geneva in a final attempt to avert nuclear warfare in India and Pakistan. Delegatios from Pakistan, India, Kashmir and the United States have been invited to the meetings to present their proposals for a lasting peace and and end to calls for war.

The Goal of the Webquest

Students participating in this webquest need to determine how their group would design a lasting peace agreement between India and Pakistan.

The Way to Reach the Goal

Background information, general information and the history of the India/Pakistan peace process is provided to help students understand the India/Pakistan dispute. Students also need to search for information on their own. Students will form a peace proposal with their group by answering the following questions:

1. Which of the four delegations will you join? India, Pakistan, Kashmir or the United States?
2. Whose viewpoint will you take as part of your delegation? The Kashmiris, Pakistanis, Indians, Americans, nuclear non-proliferationists or human rights activists?
3. What steps do you think would be effective in fostering a lasting peace between India and Pakistan?

Additional Information about the Webquest

Students are provided with information throughout the webquest about how to find information, how to write a proposal, etc... Teachers are also provided with a way to evaluate students' work. The webquest can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/wy/peacequest.