Prepared by Małgorzata Lombarowicz from Poland.

Prejudice is opinion without judgment.

Voltaire (1694 - 1778)

picture by Dorota Cybuch

What does prejudice mean?

 

Prejudice – an unreasonable dislike of or preference for a person, group, custom, etc., especially when it is based on their race, religion, sex, etc. (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, Oxford University Press 2000)

 

 

Prejudice has always followed in the wake of people: it is as old as any other human trait.

Link: http://muttaqun.com/prejudice.html People are usually prejudiced because of a sense of losing their own security: they are afraid of losing their identity. A good example might be Europe, which for ages was a small land where lots of different nations lived, maintaining their own particular traditions and customs. Each nation was very proud of its history and traditions and quite often lived at loggerheads with its neighbours. That is one of the reasons why there has been so much prejudice among people living in Europe.

Link: http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Essays/Hazlitt/Prejudice.html

 

There is still a lot of prejudice among people resulting from historical events, even though Europe is such a small piece of land. Click on the pictures below to read some opinions about being prejudiced in different European countries.

 

Discussion points:

 

Below are some discussion questions exploring the problem of prejudice. Teachers can decide how they would use them for their own students.

 

1. What is prejudice?
2. Why are people prejudiced?
3. Have you been the victim of prejudice? If yes, when and why? How did that feel?
4. Are you prejudiced against your neighbours or other nationalities?
5. Why is prejudice harmful?
6. How can we fight prejudice?
7. Do you think there will ever be a time when there is no prejudice in the world?

 

 

So is it possible to create a union among countries which fought each other for ages and where so much prejudice still exists?

 

Stereotypes

“You know the world is off tilt when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest basketball player is Chinese, and Germany doesn't want to go to war.”

Charles Barkley, 2003

 

picture by Dorota Cybuch

 

Other reasons for people’s prejudice are hidden behind stereotypes. All of us have some thoughts and opinions about particular countries or nations, even separate regions in our own countries. The way we imagine others affects our feelings towards them. For example, the French are believed to be the best cooks, Germans to love orderliness, Italians to be the best opera singers etc. This way of thinking might be seen as positive, but there are also some bad and harmful stereotypes (look at http://www.questia.com/popularSearches/stereotypes.jsp) which make people prejudiced against certain groups.

 

On the other hand many of these stereotypes do not exist any longer. They are still somewhere in our minds, we grow up with them but very often they are not true any more.

 

 

Challenging stereotypes

 

What we really have to do is to change our beliefs in stereotypes, especially the negative ones we bear. If we start thinking in a new way, free of stereotypes and prejudice, we will probably be able to create a real European community, holding up our own traditions and customs, and respecting different cultures. We have to learn to be more tolerant towards people who represent different religions, cultures or customs than ours. People have to become more open-minded and understanding towards each other. If we learn to behave like that, it will be a much better world. Humans must understand that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Then no one will fear losing his or her identity.

 

picture by Dorota Cybuch

 

United or divided

 

Thinking about Europe as one big country with no borders makes people afraid.  What will happen to their own national identity? Will they still be the people they are and their ancestors were? Or maybe they will lose their identity. Is it a fear of “being nobody”? How far can we be globalised? Does “being European” mean no traditions, no customs typical of one particular country? How high is the price for being European?

 

Conversely, “being in Europe” gives people from different countries great opportunities to change their lives, possibilities for better or different work and lifestyles. Young people will have the chance to study wherever they want and afterwards work in any country belonging to the EU.

 

Discussion points

 

Here are some discussion questions exploring aspects of globalisation and the question of identity. Teachers can also decide how to use them with their students.

 

1. What do you think about globalisation: is it an opportunity for a better life or is it a menace to losing your identity?
2.  Do you have any fears about being European?
3. Are you afraid of losing your identity?
4. What do stereotypes mean with regard to creating a multi-cultural community?
5. Do we lose our identity when we globalise? 

 

 

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Below you can find some links to sites useful for teachers interested in leading lessons on the subject of prejudice and stereotypes:

 

 

http://www.adl.org/what_to_tell/whattotell_intro.asp - we must learn to live in a different world where there is a variety of ….. Different cultures, races, religions

http://www.adl.org/what_to_tell/whattotell_intro.asp - we must learn to live in a different world where there is a variety of … Different cultures, races, religions

http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan98/talk.html - how to teach students not to be prejudiced

http://www.goodcharacter.com/GROARK/Prejudice.html - a good site to use, not for this particular project!

http://www.goodcharacter.com/GROARK/Groark.html,
http://www.goodcharacter.com/EStopics.html - to use at school!

http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/tough_topics/diversity.html

http://collections.ic.gc.ca/kootenay/teacher/index.asp - teachers’ resources

http://www.teachersagainstprejudice.org/ - fighting against prejudice

 

 

Links to sites connected with the issue:

 

 http://www.quotationspage.com/subjects/prejudice/ - quotes 

http://www.friesian.com/discrim.htm - quotes

http://www.teachersagainstprejudice.org/ - fighting against prejudice

http://www.omnibusol.com/westernciv.html - a historical trait

http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan98/talk.html - how to teach students not to be prejudiced

http://www.ajn.com.au/pages/archives/feature/feature-05.html - New Europe, old prejudice

http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Press_Room/
Global_news/Football+continues+in+Europe.htm – football countries: changing stereotypes

 

If you want more, look at other prejudice and stereotypes links