Exercise 1: Attitudes towards others

Theoretical introduction

We call our relationship to other people an attitude. An attitude has three components:

• Cognitive (thoughts, beliefs),
• Affective (emotions),
• Behavioural (behaviour).

 

The cognitive component is where a stereotype is created. The affective one is related to prejudices, while the behavioural – to discrimination.

 

Task 1

Time: 15 min

The goal of this exercise: To make students learn or refresh the definitions of stereotype, prejudice and discrimination.

Instruction for teacher: Before starting Task 1.1 make sure that students understand the concept of attitude, which is explained in the Introduction to the Exercise 1. Ask students to connect the names of the concepts (stereotype/prejudice/discrimination) to their definitions. Once the task is completed, ask students for the examples for the components of the attitude.

• Stereotype: A simplified, shortened and evaluative image of reality functioning in the social consciousness, relating to a given group. Stereotype causes identical features to be assigned to all members of a group without exception, regardless of individual differences.
• Prejudice: Hostile or negative attitude towards a distinctive group of people, based solely on their belonging to that group.
• Discrimination: Any unjustified, negative or harmful action against a member of a group caused solely due to belonging to that group. It involves treating a person less favourably than others in a comparable situation on the basis of some characteristic (e.g. gender, psychosexual orientation, age, disability, religion, ethnic or racial origin).

 

Task 2

Time: 25 min.

The goal of this exercise is:

• to make students realize that no one is free from using or knowing stereotypes, however thanks to identification one can to some extent control their influence on one’s actions.
• To make students aware about the elements of the Anti-Semitic discourse.

Methodological explanation

The following exercise is based on the module’s author teaching experience, particularly work with Polish-Israeli groups. Participants are asked to identify their own prejudices and prejudices functioning in their environment. Methodologically, this exercise is an attempt to face personal beliefs and confront them with the social perception in a wider group. This approach enables the participants to look at their own image of the Other from the perspective of other people (including those who are affected by those beliefs). Verbalizing (or writing down) individual beliefs is necessary to make them more concrete, discuss them and fully realize their meaning. The awareness of prejudices and stereotypes held is necessary to confront them with reality and control their influence on one’s behaviour. Participants are also encouraged to reflect on the emotions that accompanied expressing or writing down stereotypes held.

Instruction for teachers:

Divide students into pairs or small groups (3-4 persons). Ask them to discuss the following questions and write the answers in the template_e-module.4.11

• What stereotypes about the Jews do you know?
• What elements of antisemitic discourse are reflected in each stereotype?

Use the Fact Sheet on the Elements of Anti-Semitic Discourse (Kenneth L. Marcus, President & General Counsel, The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law)

 

Task 3

Time: 30 min

The goal of this exercise: To make students aware of the historical sources of the stereotypes about the Jews and the elements of the antisemitic discourse.

 

Instruction for teacher:

Divide students into pairs or small groups (3-4 persons). Ask them to read the antisemitic legends from across the Europe. Discuss what elements of the antisemitic discourse are reflected in each story. Ask students to write down their answers in the template_e-module4.12. Read the anti-Semitic legends from across the Europe. Working in pairs or small groups (3-4 students), discuss what elements of the antisemitic discourse are reflected in each story?

Example: The Austrian story called Jews’ Stone reflects the false accusation that Jews kill gentiles for ritual purposes.