Teaching difficult and sensitive subjects
The following articles have been written about this area:
Aitken-Burt, L. (2024). Athena Society: using history to tackle misogyny in schools. CA Blog.
Bostick, D. Teaching Slavery in the High School Latin Classroom In Media Res
Bozzone, C. and Negro, D. 92025). When Learning Greek and Latin Became Hard, and What We Can Do About It. Res Difficiles, 2.1
Brecke, I. (2022). Teaching Terence: Representations of Rape in School Texts. In Lamers, H. and Bär, S. (eds). Studia in Honorem Vibeke Roggen, Oslo: Hermes Academic Publishing, pp. 543-556.
Bristow, C. (2020). [blog] ‘Breaking Silence: Confronting Sexual Violence in Classical Myths and Stories’. Brighter Thinking Blog, Cambridge University Press.
Bristow, C.. (2025). ‘Traumas and Triggers: Compassionate Risk Management’. CUCD Bulletin 54.02: 9–12.
D’Angelo, N. and Stewart, J. (2024). Reconceptualizing Difficulty in Classics Using Critical Pedagogical Approaches. Res Difficlies, 1.1.
Fraser, C. B., Yamagata, N. and Mac Mahon, A. ( 2025) ‘The Relaxed Tutorial Project: distance learning and anxiety in Classical Studies’. Journal of Classics Teaching 26.
Hamilton, P. (2023) 5 key points when teaching ‘difficult’ history. Brief resume in TES Magazine (free sign-up for access).
Hunt S. (2016). Teaching Sensitive Topics in the Secondary Classics Classroom. Journal of Classics Teaching.17(34):31-43.
Kotrosits, M. (2025). The Matter of Form: Rewriting Our Way to a Changed Field. Res Difficiles, 3.
Lam, E. (2025). Minoritizing Classics. Red Difficiles, 3.
O’Reilly, M. (2025). Classical literature and emotional literacy: the role of classical texts in developing emotional learning in the Scottish curriculum. Journal of Classics Teaching.
Peddar D. (2023) Steps towards inclusivity: modifying challenging content, navigating pedagogical materials and initiating student reflection within the Classics classroom. Journal of Classics Teaching. 1-4
Robinson, E. “The Slaves Were Happy”: High School Latin and the Horrors of Classical Studies Eilodon
Swallow P. (2023). Teaching Difficult Stories: Trauma-Informed Teaching in the Classics Classroom. Journal of Classics Teaching.24(48):162-164.
Teets, S. Classical Slavery and Jeffersonian Racism Eidolon
Watson, J., Fraser, C. B., Meijer, E., Modini, F., Mortimer, L., Oulitskaia, V. and Ryan, C. (2025). Latin Language Teaching: EDI and Course Intensity. Report on a Workshop Held at the Classical Association Conference 2024. CUCD Bulletin 54.
You may also be interested in the following book, in which college and university teachers from the UK and USA share their experiences of teaching difficult and sensitive materials:
From Abortion to Pederasty: Addressing Difficult Topics in the Classics Classroom
Rabinowitz, N. S., and McHardy, F. (2014) Columbus: The Ohio State University Press