Fundamentalist or Responsible Citizen?

SESSION OUTLINE: Fri 3rd – Sat 4th December 2010

Written by Daniel Barton

Title of the Session: How to do an inter-religious programme?Experiencing and letting experience different methods

Timeframe: 180 minutes (90 mins Friday + 90 mins Saturday)

Aims & Objectives: • Getting fuller image of what methodology is used in inter-religious dialogue

• Experiencing one of the methods, reflecting upon this experience and using it for creative design/modification of educational methods on one's own

• Better understanding of current freedom of religion issues, particularly of the discussion on burqa bans

Programme description: Friday

1. Introduction (5 mins)Who am I? What is my experience in the IRD? Why did I come?What is this workshop going to be about?I can be highly provocative and controversial – I don't intend to harm, so if you feel hurt, come and talk to me.

2. Different types of methodology (10 mins)Have you participated in any IRD events/programmes/projects? What kind of? What kind of methodology/methods were used?Examples of methods may include:

• Lectures• Seminars, panel discussions, conferences,

workshops, training courses• Experiential learning• Meeting people for informal discussions• Organising projects together (working

towards a common goal)• Artistic expression• Online interaction & publishing• Religious celebrations, festivals, trips,

excursions • Full-time/part-time study programme • Living library

What purpose do different methods in IRD serve ?

• Transmitting information, raising

awareness• Transmitting a particular message, e.g. a

message of active coexistence• Meeting people of other religions

(breaking down prejudices/barriers/stereotypes, having fun together)

• Learning how to approach new situation and people who are different from me

• Experiencing new things• Producing tangible outcomes, such as

reports, articles, artworks • Helping others/society• Networking• Inspiring

3. Role play (40 mins)Intro: setting the scene (5 mins)It's mid-April 2011. We find ourselves in Paris, the capital of France. It is a lovely spring, everything is in blossom, lovers and families go for long walks along the Seine and let the sunshine penetrate their skins. Walking in the sunshine is much more enjoyable also to policemen who have to patrol in the streets of the capital. They stroll along the waterfront, enjoy the lovely smiling people and all of the sudden encounter a group of law-breaching individuals: 2 men, 2 women and 2 kids. They have suspicious immigrant outlook, the man have dark hair, one woman wears hijab and one wears niqab. As the new law prohibiting concealing the face in public spaces entered into force a few days ago, the policemen proceed to inflict a fine of €150 on the woman hiding her face. The family refuses to pay, so they're taking them to the police station.We find ourselves together with them and a few other people at the police station.

Getting to know the roles (10 mins)You have 10 minutes to get yourself into the role which you have chosen/which was chosen for you.Roles:

Woman in niqabHer sister in hijabHer brotherHer husbandKid 1Kid 2JudgePolicemanPolicewomanGeneral public: reformed pastor

General public: secularistGeneral public: French womanJournalistPhotographer

Action (up to 25 mins)The Muslim family is being brought before the judge who is currently busy. People present engage into a conversation about what happened.After admitted before the judge, the police and the Muslim family describe what happened and the judge decides summarily according to the law.

4. Debriefing and evaluation (20 mins)Change the place if possible.Get people out of their roles and ask questions such as:

• How did you feel in your role?• Was it difficult to identify with the role?• Do you think that the situation that we

played out can happen next year?• What do you think about burqa ban? Is it

against freedom of religion? Against your religious tradition?

5. Bridge to Saturday (15 mins)What kind of methodology did we use today? What is a role play about? What can it be useful for? Can it be useful in your context?

What kind of methodology do you need for you projects? Brainstorming on what do we need and what can we create on Saturday.

Saturday

1. How to design your own method? (10 mins)

• It is difficult to come with a completely new method and nobody asks you for that. It's much easier just to modify an already existing method to suit your needs. Or to use an existing method as an inspiration or starting point to develop something desirable for your context.

• It is almost impossible to use ready-made methods without any adaptation. Such adaptation, however, needs to take into consideration issues such as:◦ Who do you create the activity for?

What is the religious/age/gender composition of the group? How big the group is? What is their

experience/background? Where do they come from? What languages do they speak?

◦ How much time do you have?◦ Do you know the people in the group

(well)?◦ What is your aim? What is the desired

outcome? What do you want to change in people?

2. Deciding on an activity to design (5 mins)Finding an activity that all people in the group would like to design together. If not possible, splitting into groups according to their interests/wishes.

3. Designing the activity (65 mins)Group(s) working on designing their activities/methods. Assistance provided if needed.

4. Presenting the activity & evaluation (10 mins)Summarizing the outcome and what have we learnt. Getting feedback.

Place: Informal settings + possibly a place that could serve as a police station & court room

Materials needed: • Flipchart, markers• Printed handout• Hijab, niqab, and other garments useful

for the roles• (High) table for the judge

Notes:

Handouts

Woman in niqabYou are the woman that is considered the cause of all troubles. You wear niqab when you leave your house, because you consider it right. Most women in your family and community wear niqab, because it is one of the religious obligations of a faithful Muslim. You don't see how anybody could ask you not to wear it. As you are humble and modest, you let your husband and brother talk, unless you are directly asked.

Her husbandYou are outraged by the prohibition of Muslim veils. You don't like the ban and you don't want your wife to obey it, because it is against your religious conviction. You are eager to explain to anybody that this is your religious obligation and the state doesn't have any say in this matter.

Her brotherYour sister wears niqab and you approve of it. As you studied law in Paris, you are well aware of the controversial burqa ban law and you have been active in contesting it, both among your friends and on the internet. You are of the opinion that the ban interferes with freedom of religion as it is guaranteed in article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. You are happy to explain this to any state official. You refuse the payment of €150 fine on behalf of your sister and are willing to take this case before the court, if the need arose.

Her sisterAlthough your sister wears niqab and you wore it for a few years too, you decided at a later stage not to wear it and change for a plain hijab. Still, you respect the choice of your sister to wear it and you would always fight for her to be allowed do so.

Kid 1You are a 5-year-old boy. You don't understand what is going on, but you don't like how the policemen treat your family. You consider them evil.

Kid 2You are a 2-year-old baby girl. You sit in your buggy and observe the strange people around you.

JudgeYou are faced with another Muslim family refusing to pay fine for wearing a prohibited garment. At the time of their arrival, you are busy with an important paper work, so you have to let them wait for some 10 minutes before you finish your urgent paperwork.You have nothing against Muslims, but you subscribe to the principle of laïcité and as a judge you are expected to protect the religious neutrality of the public space. You apply the law no. 2010-1192 of 11th October 2010 which in its article 1 prohibits wearing of any garment concealing the face in the public. You order the woman in niqab to pay €150 and to undertake citizenship course so that she can become a responsible French citizen. You also have to investigate whether she was forced to wear the veil – and if she was, you would be allowed to impose a fine on that person up to €30,000.

PolicemanYou found the woman wearing a prohibited veil on the street of Paris. As she refused to pay the fine on the spot, you've taken her to the police station. You are about to hand her to the judge. The judge is apparently busy, so you go and ask him when is he available to see the offender(s) and act accordingly to his instructions.

PolicewomanYou found the woman wearing a prohibited veil on the street of Paris. As she refused to pay the fine on the spot, you've taken her to the police station. You are about to hand her to the judge. You sympathize with the woman.

General public: reformed pastorYou happened to be at the police station when they brought the Muslim family. As a member of another religious minority in France, you know how it feels to be harassed. Therefore you try to help the woman and her family and call on the police to be reasonable in applying the stupid burqa law.

General public: secularistYou are an ordinary secular French citizen. You consider religion to be something private and you don't like it to be present on the streets of Paris at all. You are fine with churches, because they form an inherent part of the French culture, but you don't approve of Muslims and other immigrants taking over the public space and debates. Today you witnessed the arrest of the Muslim woman wearing a weird piece of clothing over her face and you are happy that police brings these people to justice.

General public: French womanYou are an emancipated French woman in her forties. You have had a successful career. Today you have witnessed a Muslim woman being brought to the police station where you were dealing with some urgent administrative issues on behalf of your company. You don't understand how can the poor woman wear such an awful piece of clothing that doesn't reveal anything of her beauty. You feel angry at the whole system of patriarchal oppression in the underdeveloped immigrant communities. You think that the women should break free from the bondage imposed on them by the religious tradition representing male interests only. You want to help to the poor little covered thing...

JournalistYou are a journalist reporting on the effects of the burqa ban law. You follow all the cases of Muslims brought to the police station. You take notes of everything that is happening and if possible, ask the interested parties a question or two.

PhotographerYou are a photographer for an independent agency covering religious affairs in France and internationally. You are interested in pictures of Muslims being (mis)treated by the police as the media are eager to buy such accompanying material for their news.