Another world is possible social justice in practice

The course offers introduction to the social justice issues with such topics as power and oppression in social relations, stereotyping and discrimination (e.g. ableism, classism, homophobia, sexism, racism and xenophobia). During the course students will analyse and identify their attitudes and the environment reactions towards cultural diversity, relying both on their experiences from the home and hosting country. This reflection will lead the group towards the research on the chosen elements of social (in)justice which will result in planning and realizing the project addressing the concrete problem related to social justice. The classes will be realised using interactive methods, developing research competences, team skills, critical thinking, active social engagemnet and self-reflection. The students will be acquainted the Forum Theatre method as the possible way of realizing the project but finally the concrete form of the project will depend on students’ choice.

Course objectives:

-investigating and understanding the specific nature of dealing with social justice issues

-developing team cooperation skills: negotiating, making decisions, leaderships, time planning, evaluating individual and group work

-realizing the research project based on the course material

Course content:

• Basic concepts related to social justice: oppression, equality and equity, privilege, power

• Discrimination and oppression – causes, manifestations, ways of combating.

• Students’ experiences related to discrimination and oppression as the basics for the performance.

• Racism

• Xenophobic prejudices

• Sexism

• Heterosexism and homophobia

• Classism

• Ageism

• Ableism

• Project development (basic information related to the Forum Theatre – its history, application, forms, planning the event, role building – protagonists, oppressor, by-standers)

• Presenting the event

Júlio Emílio Diniz-Pereira, How the dreamers are born : struggles for social justice and the identity construction of activist educators in Brazil, New York : Peter Lang, 2013.

Gregg Barak, Jeanne Flavin, Paul Leighton, Class, race, gender and crime : social realities of justice in America, Los Angeles : Roxbury Publshing Company, cop. 2001.

Wojciech Owczarski and Marta Maciejewska (ed.), Racism and trauma, Gdańsk : Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego, 2018.

Sharon K. Anderson, Valerie A. Middleton (ed.), Explorations in diversity : examining the complexities of privilege, discrimination, and oppression / edited by. - New York : Oxford University Press, 2018.

Justyna Deszcz-Tryhubczak, Yes to Solidarity, no to oppression : Radical fantasy fiction and its young readers, Wrocław : Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, 2016.

Fred E. Jandt, An introduction to intercultural communication : identities in a global community, Los Angeles : SAGE, copyright 2016.

The definition of racism, https://www.thoughtco.com/racism-definition-3026511

What Is Sexism? Defining a Key Feminist Term, https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-sexism-3529186

Definitions: Homophobia, Heterosexism, and Sexual Prejudice, http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/prej_defn.html;

Motivations, http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/prej_func.html

Ageism and age discrimination (fact sheet), http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/ageism-and-age-discrimination-fact-sheetAbleism Basics, What is ableism?, http://www.equualaccess.org/resources-2/ableism-basics/

Balakrishnan V., Forum Theatre as a Moral Education Pedagogy, Jurnal Kajian Pendidikan, 4(1) Juni 2014, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306400682_Forum_Theatre_as_a_Moral_Education_Pedagogy

Interactive Theatre in the Classroom: Forum Theatre, University of Sothampton, https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/downloads/pre_reading_material.pdf

Video materials:

An Example of Forum Theatre, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbYx01re-ec

Forum theatre performance | Shannon Ivey and STATE of Reality | TEDxColumbiaSC, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcLcXeXJVDU

Augusto Boal, Forum Theater, Harvard-2003, parts 1-5, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I71sLJ-j5LE

Additional literature might be used if any special demand appears.

Knowledge:

a student:

1. has deepened knowledge on the types of social bonds (PS6_WG)

2. has deepened knowledge concerning social communication (PS6_WG)

3. has knowledge on planning and realizing projects (PS6_WG)

4. has structured knowledge on ethical norms and principles (PS6_WK)

5. demonstrates knowledge of key concepts related to social justice (P6S_WG, P6S_WK)

6. articulates clear understanding of fundamental problems resulting from social injustice (P6S_WG, P6S_WK)

Skills:

a student:

1. can apply his/her theoretical knowledge to interpret social phenomena and plan projects related to these phenomena (PS6_UW)

2. is able to gain knowledge on his/her own, select methods of their research work, critically analyze and interpret the personal and media messages (PS6_UW)

3. can plan and realize the project related to social justice (PS6_UO)

4. can collaborate with the group, performing various roles (PS6_UO)

Social competences:

a student:

1. recognizes the importance of knowledge in solving social problems (PS6_KK)

2. is ready to co-organize activities in and for social environment related to social justice (PS6_KO)

3. can cooperate in a group, performing different roles (P6S_KO, P6S_KR)

4. is ready to initiate activities aimed at promoting social justice (P6S_KO, P6S_KR)

5. understands the need of responsible and ethical performance in fulfilling different social roles (P6S_KR)

For the face-to-face classes:

presentation of a group project (scale of evaluation 2-5) - 60%

written report (scale of evaluation 2-5) - 20%

active participation in classes (scale of evaluation 2-5, based on points gathered during classes) - 20%

For online classes:

doing 6 assigned tasks (scale of evaluation 2-5) - 80%

active participation in classes (scale of evaluation 2-5, based on points gathered during classes) - 20%

Attendance comment: 1) if the classes are organized every week absence from more than 5 classes makes it impossible to pass the course, 2) if the classes are organized in long "blocks" of classes, 5 times per term, attendance on all classes is obligatory to pass the course.

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