1. Intellectual Learning

The course materials gave me insight into the influence of identity, stereotypes, bias, and empathy on how we perceive others. The Danger of a Single Story is a TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that describes how single stories about individuals or cultures can result in an inaccurate presumption. Then I was reminded of the ease with which we can make judgments about people without knowing their whole story. Just as with How African is Northern Africa? identity is complex; one can feel pride in two or more cultures or backgrounds.

I learned about the power of Diffusing Bias by Binna Kandola that bias can occur without our awareness and knowledge. It would be easier to be around like-minded people, and sometimes we do not even realize that we are making assumptions about others. I learned that if I could acknowledge my biases, the first step was to try to change them.

We also were introduced to the four I’s of oppression: ideological, institutional, interpersonal, and internalized oppression. Ideological oppression is a belief or stereotype that one group is better than another. Institutional oppression is the discrimination of a group by system or institutions. Interpersonal oppression is when people interact with each other in ways that discriminate against each other and internalized oppression is when individuals internalize negative stereotypes about their group. Learning about these forms made me realize that inequality may manifest itself in a multitude of ways, whether it’s at the individual level or within systems.

Microaggression was also a concept that was important. These are comments or behaviors that can be perceived as small, but can make someone feel judged/excluded. For instance, if a person is presumed not to be from a certain country due to their physical appearance, they may feel their identity is not being valued. I learned that sometimes our words can hurt even when we’re being kind.

I also reflected on the challenges that people may encounter due to poverty, conflict or displacement with the games Spent and Syrian Journey. Likewise, War in Translation emphasized the need to consider people’s experiences instead of simply taking their word for it. I had many questions about how different cultures identify bias and make judgments about fairness with these materials. I hope to learn from Soliya by hearing other ideas that are not my own, to explore these questions.

2. Self-Awareness and Identity

The activities related to identity got me thinking about how I see myself and how others see me. My nationality is not the only factor by which I can be identified; my experiences, my values, my beliefs and my personality are also factors. As part of the activity, I was asked to think about something surprising about myself, and this prompted me to consider aspects of my identity that are not so explicit in my everyday life.

It also made me think about what we know of ourselves and how we might be different for others. In some instances, we might presume we know someone based on a brief introduction or prior known facts, but without knowing their complete history. I wish to be more aware of these assumptions, and challenge them rather than take them for granted as facts.

This gave me time to reflect on how I interact with people on a daily basis as well. Sometimes, I feel comfortable around others who have similar experiences or views to my own and don’t realize it. It is important to recognize this possibility because I don’t want my assumptions to stop me from understanding others. I hope to get to know myself more, how others see me, and the assumptions that may need to be challenged during Soliya.

3. Interpersonal Skills and Global Citizenship

Community agreements helped us to learn how to listen for details, how to value differing thoughts, and how to critique ideas but not people. Also relevant is an idea we heard of “stepping up and stepping back” which is important to remember as a reminder to participate and to allow others to express themselves.

The Danger of a Single Story mirrored the notion that individuals might have vastly different experiences and perceptions of an issue. Classroom discussions also revealed that hearing other people’s perspectives helps me see things that I didn’t before.

Being a global citizen is seeing cultural differences, dispelling stereotypes and endeavoring to grasp the experiences of others. It is not necessary that everyone has to agree on everything. Rather, it is taking the time to listen, ask questions, and engage in respectful dialogue even in the face of differing views. During Soliya, I want to become more adept at listening without judgment, speak clearly about my ideas and position, and ask questions when I am not sure of another person’s point of view.

I still have one question, which is how do I respond to someone’s beliefs when there is a disagreement that doesn’t align with mine? I hope Soliya will help me to feel more comfortable in these situations and will show me how to disagree with people respectfully, without attacking them.

4. Expectations for Difficult Discussions

I expect debates on Palestine, Iran and the broader Middle East to be difficult due to its personal, emotional and potentially identity-related nature. The views, information and experiences of participants may vary with respect to these events.

I hope these discussions will help me to grasp the rationale behind how other people might see the same situation differently. I think it’s essential not only to hear what people have to say but to challenge stereotypes and generalizations about entire populations. I would also hope participants would be able to tell the difference between fact, personal experience, and assumptions.

In a discussion that I would be helping to lead, I would ask everyone to give their opinions in a respectful manner and listen attentively without interrupting. I will also remind all participants that there are people behind the news and statistics, with feelings, families and personal stories. It would be helpful to have a facilitator to keep the discussion balanced, correct misunderstandings and provide everyone an opportunity to speak.

I want to feel like I’m in a place where I can share my opinions without being attacked or stereotyped by other people. Hopefully if it got heated, the facilitator could calm everybody down, hear what each other was saying, and concentrate on understanding, not arguing.

I learned to identify bias, to take a second look at initial impressions, and to learn about people from diverse backgrounds. I wish that Soliya can teach me to look at things from other viewpoints, enhance my listening skills and open my mind to talk about sensitive issues with people.