The Third Space

The Third Space series is a unique project designed in response to the Australian Curriculum???s inclusion of the key elements of diversity competence: intercultural and ethical understanding, personal and social capability, and critical and creative thinking. Comprised of thirteen novellas, The Third Space aims to equip students with the requisite understandings, skills, attitudes and dispositions to deal with difference through reading stories focussed on young protagonists. This series takes students on an introductory journey out of their own world and into the intriguing world of human diversity. Students are given a unique opportunity to step out of their own space and into ???the third space??? ??? a space where people of different cultural, racial and belief systems are understood and respected. The novellas provide the conceptual tools and imaginative space to help students discover and participate in this ???third space??? where multi-culture and multi-faith are key components of a society that is rich, harmonious and inclusive. Amir has been best friends with Dragan since they were in kinder and the boys are looking forward to starting high school together next year. Even though Amir???s parents are Bosnian Muslim and Dragan is of Serbian Orthodox background, the boys think of themselves as Australian and their cultural differences have never mattered ... until the Balkan war breaks out. Suddenly their family tells them that they are not supposed to be friends because Bosnians and Serbs are fighting overseas. Can they find a way to keep their friendship in the face of their family???s opposition?