Student Stage Four

Stage

Student Stage Four

Step #1

Change of perspective: What if...?

Please, think for yourself:
What would be particularly important to me?
I imagine that I have fled here from another country:
What would I need in order to arrive safely in my new homeland, to be able to contribute to my new society and to live well together with the people here?
For what would I wish for as a refugee: To what would I have a right, a claim?

Please discuss your personal reflection results in your group and create together a "Charter of Refugee Rights"!

Step #2

What basic rights do refugees have?

After you have watched a video in which basic rights of refugees are mentioned, please discuss the following questions:

To what extents (in our estimation) are these rights of refugees fulfilled in our country? In what respect could we (our country) do more to fulfil the rights of refugees?

Which rights are rejected by some in the local communities? What could be the reason for this refusal and how justified is it?

What values do I express when I advocate or reject these rights of refugees?

Step #3

Role-playing: How do we want to live together?

Situation

In the small-town X-City a refugee shelter with 400 inhabitants was founded a few weeks ago. Many families have small children.

Even before the refugees moved in, a citizens' initiative was formed ("Refugees: Not with us!"), which is strictly against the shelter. It warns against rising criminality and other dangers by the refugees and demands that X-City should take more care of its own population. In X-City there are social problems. If one cannot prevent the refugee shelter, one must protect the citizens at least against the refugees, the initiative claims.

At the same time, a group of volunteer refugee helpers ("Refugees Welcome!") has been set up to support the refugees and promote good relations between refugees and locals. They point out the basic rights of refugees and that everyone in X-City benefits from living together.

Recently there have been some thefts that have been attributed to the refugees. Some neighbours complain about noise and waste from the shelter and rumours are circulating in the city that some refugees behave "very suspiciously" and appear dangerous when they are moving around the city. At the same time, some refugees complain that they are not served in shops or are insulted on the street. They say it is be very difficult to have friendly contacts with the locals.

The mayor of X-City wants to prevent the conflicts from escalating and initiates a round table. He invites: 2 representatives each of the initiative "Refugees: Not with us", the "Refugees Welcome" helpers' circle, the neighbourhood of the shelter and 2 refugees. Key question of the Round Table: "How do we want to live together in X-City? Who has what rights and what obligations? What concrete steps do we agree to take for our future living together?”

Step #3

In the reflection after the role-play please consider the following questions:

Spectators:

What did we notice?

What strategy did the participants follow?

Were any prejudices or denigrations expressed?

What rights and duties of refugees and locals were mentioned?

Which arguments did I find convincing, which less?

Has an understanding been reached or have certain participants prevailed?

Which concepts of a (good) living together became appearent?

Participants of the Round Table:

How did I feel in my role?

How have I experienced it, if required, to represent a position that I do not share in "real life"?

Have I been able to convince others (how?)?

Have I changed my mind (why?)?

Am I satisfied with the process and with the result (if not: what is missing or what bothers me?)

If I could have the discussion again how would I present my arguments, how would I position myself in relation to the issues presented?

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