A)
Interview someone who has a significantly different cultural background to your own (I am Australian) to elicit a story that gives you some insight into their relationship with their culture(s) and/or Australian culture and how they see themselves in terms of cultural identity. This might be a migration story, a coming of age story or another story that talks about a significant interaction across difference that has somehow shaped this person’s identity. Before you begin, write a series of questions you might ask to elicit some in depth narratives or stories. Make sure your questions are sensitive and nuanced. Gain their consent via information sheet and consent form before beginning the interview.
Depict this narrative in one of the following ways:
– Write a narrative using your participant’s words
– Draw a cartoon or storyboard
– Edit your narrative to make a radio documentary or condensed interview
– Make a multimedia presentation (for example a video, animation, recount to video, film and edited interview; with the consent of your participant)
Written accounts should be 800-1500 words; audio or multimedia presentations should be 5-10 minutes in length.
B)
Write a reflection piece in which you explore the similarities and differences between this person’s experiences of identity and culture and your own. The following questions may help you think through your reflection piece:
– What similarities and differences between you and your participant did you encounter? How did this allow you to make connections across the difference? Reflect upon Giugni’s ideas of difference from each other allows us to make connections across difference.
– How has hearing this story changed your understanding of this person’s culture? How has this helped you to engage with the idea of the ‘danger of a single story’ that Adichie discusses?
– What depth of experience and knowledge have you gained through this process?
– What dominant social narratives if this person’s culture were overturned/supported by this account?
– How did you find the interaction with your participant? were you able to have an easy conversation? Why? What skills or strategies did you enlist to make connections with this individual during the interview? How did you make them feel safe and comfortable? Were there moments of discomfort? Why? How did you work with this?
