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Stereotyping

Class description

 

Course Topic: Graduate course on working with children from culturally and socially diverse backgrounds 

Student composition: 2nd year MA university students (domestic student only)

The situation in which the controversy occurred

When teaching this course, one of the challenges I face is overcoming the focus on Western-framed perspectives, introducing postcolonialism, and diversifying students’ knowledge. To that end, I try to select reading materials that would enable a fruitful classroom discussion (Markowska-Manista 2016). Another challenge is the lack of intercultural contact (Markowska-Manista and Zakrzewska-Olędzka 2017) and intercultural experiences among students. 

In one of our classes the topic was how to properly discuss with young children and adolescents texts from the so-called literary canon of literature that contains stereotypical representation of certain groups. A heated debate took place about how the children’s poem “Bambo Brown” (Murzynek Bambo in Polish), written in 1934, and a short story entitled “In desert and wilderness” (W pustyni i w puszczy in Polish), written in 1912, can contribute to the perpetuation of negative stereotypes and overemphasize cultural differences in a negative way.  

“Bambo Brown” is about a little “black boy” named Bambo who lives in Africa. It is a classic poem which, despite being absent from the school curriculum, is still used by some teachers, while criticized by others for instilling racism in children. 

Bambo Brown

“On African land lives Bambo and the Browns

His chocolate face shines even when he frowns.

As soon as the Sun appears on the horizon

His new book is what he’s keen on.

And when he comes back home from school

He plays tricks as he thinks it’s quite cool.

“Come drink some milk” – his mummy says.

But he climbing the tree prefers.

“Come take a bath” – his mummy replies.

But Bambo does not want his skin to turn white

But mummy loves her little boy

As he is good and full of joy.

What a pity that Bambo clever and funny

Is not here to make the weather warm and sunny.”

The short story „In desert and wilderness” was written by Nobel Prize-winning novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz. This story is problematic in a similar manner with its explicit racist overtones. Both texts are products of their age and do not reflect modern reality. When discussed without a context and without sensitizing children to racism, they can indeed generate stereotypes. Today, in the era of multiculturalism, drawing on these types of classical texts without proper commentary seems harmful, as it can perpetuate schematic thinking and confirm stereotypes, which may be already rooted in people’s minds and society. 

 

Consequently, the aim of the class was to facilitate a critical discussion on selected “typical” educational content, discuss constructive strategies to do so, and highlight the need to recognize and problematize this type of content in didactic activities – classes conducted in classroom. 

 

How to address this situation?

Before beginning a discussion about stereotyping and inclusivity, students can watch a TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “The danger of a single story”. Students may be asked to read academic and non-academic sources about how to understand and talk about other cultures. This preparatory phase helps prepare students to critically reflect on schematic thought patterns, cultural clichés and stereotypes that generalise and simplify the image of different groups and their living environments.

Meeting with a guest speaker is an effective strategy to observe one’s reaction to knowledge gained from „first hand” source, knowledge that is decolonised, decolourised, and that prods one to reflect on issues with greater depth and deconstruct schematic thought patterns. It is important to note that the guest is never an “expert” or a “laboratory” for students. For the sake of transparency, the course instructor met the guest speaker in advance to provide information about the number of students in the group, topic(s) of discussion, and clarify that the guest speaker can refuse to answer questions. Students also received this information in advance. The guest can also ask the students questions in order to assure ethnical symmetry in a discussion, and students can refuse to answer questions as well. Often these questions refer to sensitive, personal and difficult topics.  

For the described class, a guest speaker was invited who was from Sudan and lived in Poland for many years. The guest shared his experiences as a father of school-age children and an NGO activist. The course instructor introduced the guest to the students, stipulated the rules of the meeting, and allowed some time for question or concerns to be raised. Then, a discussion with the speaker ensued. During the discussion, questions could be raised anonymously as well: a box was circulated in the classroom, where students could drop their written answers. Meanwhile, the course instructor moderated the discussion, and prepared a list of the most important issues that emerged. Finally, before the end of the class, students were given an opportunity for one-on-one conversation with the guest speaker.

During the next class, students engaged in an Oxford debate. The purpose of the Oxford debate is to form two teams, one to defend the thesis of the debate, and the other to refute it. First, students received instructions and debate thesis in advance (by e-mail). Students were informed about the format of the debate: a formal discussion between two teams, proponents and opponents of the thesis. The teams arrived prepared to debate. However, they were not informed which team they will be in.  

When the teams are decided, they have 12 minutes to look through their notes and choose the best arguments. The debate is moderated by a Marshal, supported by a Secretary who takes notes about the debate. The Marshal gives the floor to members of the teams. Lots are drawn to decide about the order of the speakers taking their stand. For instance, a speaker of the proponent team speaks first, followed by a speaker from the team of opponents. Speakers take turns. 

Each team member has a predefined function. Apart from the teams, the Marshal and the audience, Experts are also present at the debate to evaluate both teams. Experts address the content of the arguments, erudition, body language, sensitivity (non-discrimination). Experts also assess whether the speakers fulfilled their roles and their behaviour. Importantly, both teams’ task is to discuss the thesis in a substantive way. The goal is not to convince the experts to take on a particular stance, but to present well-thought-out, logical arguments.

This strategy is aimed at confronting students with the stereotypes faced by children of African descent, binational and bicultural children, children with migration background, as well stereotypes potentially faced by teachers conducting classes about other nationalities, communities and cultures.

Further resources on Oxford-style debate:

“What is Oxford Style Debate?” by Han-Rog Kang (Oxford University)

“Oxford-style debate guidelines” by M. Moszoro

Following the meeting with the guest representing both Poland and his country of origin (Sudan), as well as the Oxford debate and a discussion based on diverse arguments, during the follow-up class, students have an opportunity to reflect on their thoughts. The group saw the content of the poem and the novel in a completely new light. A discussion with the students on how their views about the poem might have changed and their knowledge decolonised was part of the strategy of the class. They agreed on the fact that it is necessary to discuss literary texts that are problematic in our times based on the context, using their potential to show the space for non-discrimination and respect for human rights on many levels. 

In the case of younger students, it is recommended to discuss the poem “Bambo Brown,” while indicating the schematic thinking, negative stereotypes and colonial language. However, it is necessary to be well prepared to classes addressing this problem. They certainly require a discussion about the historical and social context in which the texts were written. Attention must be drawn to the students – what if some of them are children or adolescents whose parents from countries on the African continent? Is the instructor able to deal with non-discriminatory education in such situations?  

Every country has this type of publications in its literary canon. It is worth drawing attention to how and in what context the teacher transmits the knowledge, so as to sensitise the students to diversity and avoid direct and indirect discrimination in education. It is worth wondering about why the image of Africa and people coming from countries from the African continent is a result of a negative perception and prejudice.

 

 

 

Works cited:

 

Academic sources:

Diouf, M., Igiehon, A., Karamalla, N., Rasolomampionona, D., & Średziński, P. (2011). Jak mówić i pisać o Afryce. Fundacja Afryka Inaczej, Warszawa. 

Liebel‚ M. „Weiße“ Kinder – „schwarze” Kinder. Nachdenkliche Anmerkungen zu Janusz Korczaks Kinder-Roman vom kleinen König Maciuś, In: M. Liebel and Janusz Korczak (eds.) – Pionier der Kinderrechte. Ein internationales Symposium, Berlin–Münster: LIT Verlag Dr. W. Hopf, 2013. 

Markowska-Manista, U. (2020) “O potrzebie dekolonizacji współczesnych badań nad dzieciństwem i prawami dziecka 
w krajach Globalnego Południa i Globalnej Północy”. Rozważania wstępne, PRZEGLĄD KRYTYCZNY 2020 / 2(1): 9-20, DOI: 10.14746/pk.2020.2.1.01 

Markowska-Manista, U. (2016): Walka ze stereotypami odmienności kulturowej – szkolne i pozaszkolne pola bitewne, In: Twierdza. Szkoła w metaforze militarnej. Co w zamian? Maria Dudzikowa & Sylwia Jaskulska (ed.), Wolters Kluwer SA, pp. 315-339. 

Markowska-Manista, U. and Dominika Zakrzewska-Olędzka (2017): 
Pomiędzy teorią a praktyką kontaktu międzykulturowego, Pogranicze. Studia społeczne, vol. 30, ss. 113-129, DOI:10.15290/pss.2017.30.08 


Online sources:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie The danger of a single story https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story 

“How to talk about the majority of the world” published by the Institute of Global Responsibility https://igo.org.pl/, http://igo.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Jak_mowic_o_wiekszosci_swiata_wydanie4_-ebook.pdf 

Source of the translated poem in the box is: https://blogs.transparent.com/polish/murzynek-bambo-julian-tuwim/ 

Zasady Debaty Oksfordzkiej http://ampdo.pl/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/AMPDO_Zasady-Debaty.pdf