Based on original reader surveys and teacher interviews, the book discusses the risks and benefits of using fictional narratives to teach Western upper secondary students about the Middle East. The possible outcomes of using The Sirens of Baghdad in upper secondary education are discussed after conducting empirical studies with students and teachers from four schools in Sweden. Partially conflicting goals such as socializa tion versus subjectivation and national versus international identity build ing are addressed, as well as potential practical problems, such as heated emotions in the classroom, trauma exposure, and radicalization. It is argued that despite such dilemmas, fictional narratives of the studied kind can be an effective tool in upper secondary education, particularly when teachers collaborate across disciplinary boundaries.