Duration: Approx. 30-60 minutes
Introduction
When we are talking about anti-racism, we also talk about civic courage. But what exactly is meant by civic courage? We would like to suggest following definition: Civic Courage are the actions of a person or group where they intervene or take a stand in a social situation to combat injustice, usually at great social, political or professional risk. Civic courage then is the courage to intervene in a supportive manner when human dignity is violated and to fearlessly defend one’s opinion everywhere. It also means having the courage to help those who are affected by violence and discrimination in all forms. Civic courage is not a heroic act, don’t put yourself in danger.
With this exercise, you engage with different styles of civic courage in the face of discrimination. We will present different situations and there will be four different styles to react. You need to choose one.
exercise
Debriefing
This exercise is designed to understand and explore different approaches to civic courage. By choosing one style out of four you are gaining a deeper understanding of your own response and learn to appreciate the diverse approaches that can also be taken. Everyone has a different approach to handling discrimination in various contexts. The approaches may vary in effectiveness depending on the situation and the risk assessment and considerations of power and privilege often influence individuals’ decisions. That’s why we want to underline the meaning of checking the situation first: Where are you? What opportunities and obstacles are given to you in this situation? Who do you want to address (perpetrators, silent majority)? Do you need allies to respond? Are there (potentially) affected people nearby who need support or protection? In general, we would like to give a change of perspective: too often we focus on the perpetrators and disregard the people who are affected by the violence and discrimination.
We like to encourage you to practice civic courage depending on your style and the circumstances and to show support for those who experience discrimination. Focus on developing your strategies to alleviate discrimination and uplift those who are victimized. You can always do something.