Locating Hate: Part II



Objective(s) & Context

  1. Support conversation that affirms and affords opportunity to explore identity and the effects of internalized, relational, or systemic hatred in one’s life.

  2. Explore and support individual and collective ways of interrupting social conversations that sustain hatred (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.).

 

Ideas, beliefs, and behaviours that support fear about and hatred against particular human beings or groups begin with the dehumanization of the hated person or group; passion and an implicit or explicit commitment to continue hatred.

 

Hatred is perpetuated by stories through many forms of cultural expression (radio, television, print, web, and social media) and it is embedded within the policies and practices of our country and the many agencies and institutions to which we belong or interact with.

 

This hatred is more likely to be embedded within our everyday common sense, our ways of speech, or ways of thinking and referring to particular social issues or social groups (sometimes called “discursive practices”).

 

These everyday forms of hatred, when writ large in legally endorsed policy and explicit practices, or when they are subtly repeated through acts of omission, exclusion, co-optation, or appropriation (for example), can restrict the mobility, financial security, and overall health and well-being of particular social groups.

 

Hate can be countered by collaborative wisdom: our combined intelligence, creativity, and experience.

 

It is also countered by educational approaches (sometimes called “pedagogies”) that support multiple points of view.

 

These exercises stress dialectical thinking: examining situations and phenomena from many points of view as a means of understanding how truth evolves and is de/constructed.

 

Duration

105 minutes (1 hour and 45 minutes)

 

Group Size

8–20

 

Age Group

16 +

 

Skills

Collaboration and Creative Expression

 

Format(s) & Technique(s)

Conversation, skit

 

Materials

Flip chart

Markers

Tape

Paper

Pens

 

Facilitation Tips

  • This workshop should follow Locating Hate: Part I.

  • You may want to refer to the Anti-Oppression Information Sheet in the Knowledge Building section of the Manual for supplementary information for yourself and for participants.

  • You may also want to refer to definitions of social location in the Manual’s Glossary or in the Facilitating Across Difference section.

 

Popular Education Prompts

  • This workshop builds upon Locating Hate: Part I and moves into strategizing and planning for action.

 

Leading the Activity: Steps to Take

Preparations:

There are three parts to this workshop.

Part A

1. Create 3 flip charts with the following 3 questions:

- Share an internalized message about (sexuality, race, religion, money, education, dis/ability) that you got from your family, religion, friends culture? How does this manifest in your life? What messages about these aspects of identity would you want to pass on to your friends, family, or children?

- Is there a part of your “race,” ethnicity, height, age, religion, dis/ability, gender, etc., that you wish you could hide or change? Who would you hide it from? What would happen if they were to know?

- How do you introduce yourself? Are there particular aspects of your own identity that you are proud of and want people to know about? Are there people or situations that make being proud of this part of yourself easier or more difficult?

 

Part B

1. Create 6 cards with different skit genres; for example: horror, after-school special,

romantic comedy, opera, musical, tragedy, or cartoon.

 

Part C

1. Prepare a flip chart with two columns: challenges / strategies.

 

Workshop:

Part A: Conversation (30 minutes):

1. Recap highlights from Part 1 of workshop.

2. Present the 3 questions to group and separate questions on floor or wall.

3. Ask group to move towards question they are drawn to. If there is a large group, divide it

into two (but no more than 6 per group).

4. Ask groups to have a self-moderated conversation about the question. By self-

moderating, you would ask that each group be mindful of giving each person an

opportunity to participate in the conversation.

 

Part B: Skits (25 minutes):

  1. After approximately a half-hour in small groups (less if groups are done earlier), gently interrupt all the groups and explain that you are going to ask each group to present their conversation through a specific dramatic genre that they will receive on a card they will choose.

  2. In a minute, you will go around with the 6 cards and each group will pick one.

  3. Each group will need to create a 1-2 minute skit that represents elements of their conversation and they should also try to represent the obstacles they discussed (villain(s).

  4. Each group has 10 minutes to create their short play.

  5. Go to each group and have them choose one of the 6 cards without seeing what is written on them.

  6. After 10 minutes, ask each group to present their skits.

  7. You can introduce each play by reading their original question.

  8. Remind the audience that they will watch all of the plays first and then everyone will have a conversation.

  9. Remind the audience to participate in the performance by raising their hands (or come up with another sign) if they see anything in the play that they relate to, identify with, or recognize.

  10. Do not ask the audience to comment at this time.

 

Part C: Reflection (25 minutes):

1. Thank each group and note that you saw a few hands during each performance.

2. Ask participants to do a continuous writing exercise.

3. For 3 minutes, write down what they resonated or connected with in the scenes. Another way to ask this is to ask them to write down a challenge they are currently facing regarding some aspect of identity that was represented in the plays in some way.

4. Ask them to write down one idea for what have done to address this.

5. Share in pairs (10 minutes).

6. Ask participants to report back the challenges they have felt and strategies they have used or could use. (12 minutes).

 

Part D: Go-Around/Large Group Discussion (25 minutes):

  • Go around in a circle and ask each participant to respond to the following question:

“What is one idea you will take away from our sharing that you might be able to use either alone or with someone in your life?”

It is OK if not all participants want to share at this time.

  • In the second go-around, ask participants “What would you like support with?“

  • It’s OK if not all participants want to share at this time.

 

Debrief

  • Ask participants to close the workshop by giving one word to describe the workshop.

  • Thank participants.

 

Success Indicators:

Participants are:

  • Able to identify one individual and one collective strategy they can use to interrupt the perpetuation of internalized, relational, or systemic hatred

 

Source: Nisha Sajnani, Creative Alternatives: www.creative-alternatives.ca