Diversity – Activity 5

The Single Story

Activity type:
Experiential – self awareness

Learning goals:
Participants will realise how we form perceptions and how these perceptions lead to stereotypes. They will be shown the impact of having single stories about people and how these stories distort truth.

Specificities:
Group activity

Duration:
30 minutes

Material needed:
YouTube video (video available only in English)


Instructions

First you shall watch the movie clip by Chimamanda Adichie (Nigerian Novelist) ‘The danger of the single story.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg

After having watched the video, discuss in pairs or groups over it.

Questions for reflection:
  • How has your story been misunderstood by others?
  • How have you misunderstood others’ stories?
  • How can you go about avoiding single stories about others?