This presentation accompanies the lesson Avoiding 'Othering' and Polarisation When Engaging in Social Action. It is important to read the lesson plan in order to understand its rationale and procedure, review the ‘Notes to Teacher’, and access the materials needed to complete the lesson.

While you may need to modify this presentation to meet the needs of your students, please note that Teach for Tomorrow does not endorse any changes that alter the presentation’s content or original layout.

This resource was created in partnership with Facing History & Ourselves, Inc.

Getting Started

Avoiding 'Othering' and Polarisation When Engaging in Social Action

Reflect on ‘Othering’

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In your journal, respond to the following questions:

1. Think of a time when you felt judged or ‘othered’ by someone else.
• What happened in the situation?
• How did it make you feel?
• What, if anything, were the consequences?
2. Think of a time when you judged or ‘othered’ someone else.
• What happened in the situation?
• What were the consequences of your actions?
• How could you have behaved differently? What would have helped you do this?

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Discuss ‘Othering’

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1. Why do people judge or ‘other’ people?
2. How do these types of behaviours impact those ‘othered’?
3. What can be done to prevent them?

Reflect on ‘Othering’ Based

on Group Membership

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In your journal, respond to the following questions:

Forms of hatred that target specific groups can lead to people who are, or are perceived to be, members of such groups, being ‘othered’ and targeted.

• What might be the consequences of this?
• Have you seen any examples of hate and othering in society?
• What do you think can be done to counter this?

‘Othering’ can lead to polarisation: a situation in which people or opinions are divided into opposing groups.

Establish Classroom Norms

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In pairs, review the following norms and decide if there is anything you would revise, delete or add to the list so it reflects the norms that you think are important to uphold in the lesson discussion.

• Listen with respect. Try to understand what someone is saying before rushing to judgement.
• Make comments using ‘I’ statements.
• If someone says something that hurts or offends you, do not attack the person. Acknowledge that the comment – not the person – hurt your feelings and explain why.
• Put-downs are never okay.
• If you don’t understand something, ask a question.
• Think with your head and your heart.
• Share the talking time – provide room for others to speak.

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Establish Classroom Norms

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Which norms do you think are important for guiding our discussion today?

Establish Classroom Norms

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Select two norms that you would like to commit to upholding during class discussion and write these norms, and your reasons for selecting them, in your journals.

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Reflect on the

Concept of a ‘Universe of Obligation’

An individual or group’s universe of obligation represents the extent to which they feel responsible for others.

Reflect and Discuss the

Concept of a ‘Universe of Obligation’

1. What factors influence the ways individuals determine who is within their own ‘universe of obligation’?
2. In what ways might an individual signal who is part of their ‘universe of obligation’ and who is not?
3. What do you think might be some of the consequences for those who are not within an individual’s ‘universe of obligation’? A society’s ‘universe of obligation’?

Create Your Own ‘Universe of Obligation’

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Create your own ‘universe of obligation’ using the handout then reflect on the following prompts in a private journal entry:

1. How might your ‘universe of obligation’ make you feel closer to certain conflicts, crises, or groups of people in the news? You can think about examples related to [insert current event], or reflect on other issues in the news.
2. What do you think might be gained if people challenge themselves to expand their ‘universe of obligation’ to include more conflicts, crises, or groups of people in the news/society?
3. What do you think might be lost if they don’t?

Apply the Concept of a

‘Universe of Obligation’ to the Current Event

1. How might the concept of a ‘universe of obligation’ help us to understand ‘othering’ in society?
2. How might the concept of a ‘universe of obligation’ help us to understand the polarisation* in relation to the recent violence in __________ , or any other outbreaks of violence?
3. How can extending our ‘universe of obligation’ to include all humans help us understand our role in challenging violence and injustice perpetrated against all innocent civilians?

Polarisation: A situation in which people or opinions are divided into opposing groups.

Consider How to Avoid Fuelling

Polarisation When Acting

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1. Why can types of activism that are rooted in ‘win-lose’ approaches harm people’s mental health?
2. Why is it important to reflect on the impact that holding anger and contempt towards others can have on individuals? On society?
3. Brooks outlines some types of activism that move people beyond ‘us’ and ‘them’ narratives. What are these? What are other examples of actions that people can take?
4. How might the shift ‘from winning to helping’ when taking action help people to expand their ‘universe of obligation’ and avoid fuelling polarisation?
5. What ‘helping’ activities do you think can be used to respond to conflict/violence in general, or to issues in the news that you are currently concerned about?

The 4 Ifs

1. If I take the principle of centring humanity when taking action, what are the day-to-day implications for how I live my life?
• What might my personal actions and behaviours look like?
• What might I choose to do differently?
2. If my community takes the principle of centring humanity when taking action, what are the implications for our collective action and behaviour?
• What new actions would we take on?
• What current actions or behaviours might we need to change?
3. If our world takes the principle of centring humanity when taking action, what are the implications for our world?
• What current and future policies, proposals and actions are needed?
• What wrongs need to be righted?
4. If we don’t follow the principle of centring humanity when taking action, what could happen?

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Reflect on the Lesson

In your journal, respond to the following questions:

1. What does the content of this lesson teach us about how we can approach activism?
2. How, if at all, does the content of the lesson help you understand the ‘othering’ and polarisation that exists in society in relation to outbreaks of violence and conflict?
3. How, if at all, will the content of this lesson impact how you stand up against violence and injustice?

Share Thoughts on the Lesson

Share your responses to one of the final reflection questions.

Extensions

Consider Strategies for Following the News

In pairs, discuss the questions:

• How do you learn about what is happening in the world?
• What are your main sources of news?

Consider Strategies for Following the News

In groups, read the handout ‘Five Strategies for Following the News’ and respond to the following questions for each strategy:

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1. What questions do you have about this strategy?
2. How, if at all, can this strategy help you take care of yourself?
3. How, if at all, can this strategy help you expand your ‘universe of obligation’?

Develop Media Literacy Skills

Media literacy skills are vital if people are to develop as critical and empathetic consumers and sharers of information. We will be exploring some/all of the following resources to develop those skills:

• Developing Media Literacy for Well-being, Relationships and Democracy
• Lesson: Introducing Media Literacy
• Lesson: Examining Bias and Representation in the Media
• Lesson: Understanding the News
• Lesson: Exploring the Impact of Social Media
• Lesson: Confronting Misinformation, Disinformation and Mal-information
• Key Questions for Media Decoding (Project Look Sharp)

Reflect on How to Stand Up Against Injustice

There are lots of different ways in which we can stand up against injustice. We will be exploring some/all of the following resources from the organisation Facing History and Ourselves reflect on some of these ways:

• Virtual Event: We Are Facing History: Civics & 21st Century Democracy
• Lesson: Reflection and Action for Civic Participation
• Unit: 10 Questions for Young Changemakers

Responding to Difference

1. Reflect on how we respond to difference.
2. Think about what we do when we encounter difference.
3. Sort and discuss the ways we respond to a difference.
4. Create an aspirational stanza for Berry’s poem.

Big change starts in the classroom.

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