HUMAN RIGHTS
THROUGH THE ART OF COMPASSIONATE REBEL
STORYTELLING
INTRODUCTION:
Stories of Compassionate
Rebels
It has been said that whoever
tells the stories, defines the culture.
Perhaps that’s why people are looking
for new stories, stories where the response
is not violence, retaliation, and war,
stories where basic human rights are not
violated. Everyone wants to believe that
human beings can make better choices than
the ancient paths of destruction and despair.
The events of September 11, 2001 came
as a new story to most Americans, but
others around the globe have been living
with similar atrocities for generations.
In addition to stories of armed
retaliation, however, more and more stories
have begun to emerge that speak to the
more powerful, graceful part of ourselves
when we let our pain and anger serve as
a catalyst for rebelling against the status
quo and taking compassionate action.
We first discovered the power of
such stories when we began to wonder what
would happen if we told stories not just
from the vantage point of the victim but
from a place of power and a belief that
ordinary citizens can effect social change
when faced with adversity and outrage.
These are compassionate rebel stories.
Shortly before September 11, 2002,
we collected a number of such inspiring
stories and published them as The Compassionate
Rebel: Energized by Anger, Motivated by
Love. Now this collection can provide
the new stories we so desperately need
to stop the cycle of violence escalating
in the world around us. In these compassionate,
rebellious acts of ordinary people, human
rights are affirmed. Such stories of how
people have responded to “That’s
not fair” help us to tap into our
own compassionate rebellion to create
other stories and through them to change
our culture.
The compassionate rebel exists
in all of us. Our challenge is developing
ways to tell our own stories and bear
witness to the stories of others in order
to create a more just society and protect
the human rights of all.
We present the following lessons
in hopes that the power of our stories
put us on a more humane path.
Rebecca Janke
Growing Communities for Peace
Compassionate
Rebel Storytelling
PART ONE: Stories of Compassionate
Rebels
1.
Story Selection: Select
appropriate compassionate rebel stories
from The Compassionate Rebel: Energized
by Anger, Motivated by Love by Burt
Berlowe, Rebecca Janke and Julie Penshorn.
The book may be purchased or five stories
are available on the website www.compassionaterebel.org
.
2.
Study Team assignment:
a)
Introduce the assignment with
a discussion of the idea that “Whoever
tells the stories, defines the culture”
(see above). Ask students to identify
familiar narratives, real or fictional,
that illustrate how stories convey the
values of their society.
b)
Divide students into
study teams and assign one story to
each study team. Ask each team to read
the story (together or as a homework
assignment) and discuss the reflection
questions at the end. Encourage them
to apply compassionate rebel concepts
to their own lives and community.
c)
Ask a spokesperson from each team
briefly to describe their story and
summarize their discussions.
3.
Class Discussion:
- What are some of the values
these stories convey?
- In what way were these people
rebellious? In what way compassionate?
- What other types of compassionate
rebels do you know whose lives and actions
could serve to create a new chapter
for this book?
PART TWO: Personal Storytelling
1.
Introduction:
Explain to students that we all have important
personal stories that can also convey
our values. Divide students into pairs
and explain that each pair will share
stories, one speaking while the other
takes notes. These notes will then serve
as the “raw material” for writing
these stories. Emphasize the importance
of respecting the privacy of all storytellers.
2.
Telling Stories
of Injustice
a)
Working in pairs, students tell
each other an early memory of injustice
that they personally experienced. They
should try to include these questions:
- What happened and how did
you respond?
- Was one of your human rights
denied?
b)
While one student talks, the other
takes notes on the stories trying to
capture the exact phrases or words the
storyteller uses.
c)
Students then exchanges story
notes and then write their own story
using those words and phrases (These
could be part of a homework assignment)
3.
Telling Stories
of Joy
a)
Working in the same pairs, students
tell each other a joyful early experience.
They should try to include these aspects:
- Describe what happened in as
much detail as possible, including the
sights, sounds, smells, textures, and
taste.
- Who was there? What were people
doing?
- Why did this experience make
you so happy?
- Did you experience a human right
in action?
Again record each other’s story
using the exact phrases or words the storyteller
shares with you.
Students then exchanges story notes
and then write their own story using those
words and phrases (These could be part
of a homework assignment)
4.
Telling Stories
of Struggle
a)
Working in the same pairs (or
a private writing session) students
describe a current dilemma or struggle
they are experiencing. They should try
to include these questions:
5.
Analyzing the
Stories
When the stories have been completed,
invite students to reflect on what they
have written. This reflection might be
in the form of class discussion, discussion
in pairs or small groups, or private writing.
a)
Stories of Injustice:
- How did you respond to the
injustice? Do you still respond that
way?
- What was your conflict resolution
style then? What is it now?
- What method are you using with
your current dilemma as described in
the third story? If you are, is this
method still effective? If you are not,
could your new method have been effectively
applied? Is it time to try something
different? (NB: We tend to develop our
conflict resolution style before we
are three years old and keep it unless
we learn new things along the way.)
- Have any metaphors appeared
in this story that have meaning for
you?
- What have you learned about
yourself after doing this exercise that
you didn’t know before? Write your
conclusions.
b)
Stories of Joy
- Why was this particular event
joyful?
- What does the story show about
what you value and hold as important
and meaningful?
- Who else was present with you
in this memory? What do you remember
about this person or persons? What legacy
did they give you? Is this a legacy
that can be applied to your current
dilemma?
- Have any metaphors appeared
in this story that have meaning for
you?
c)
Stories of Struggle
- What does your story of a current
dilemma or struggle show that you value?
- Anger is good for identifying
what you are against. Try to write a
statement about how this dilemma or
struggle shows about what you are against.
- Once you know what you are against,
ask yourself what you are for. By doing
this, research shows you will have three
times the amount of energy to strive
for it than you would have had if you
only focused on your anger. Knowing
what you support also allows you to
tap into your compassion and gives you
specific ways in which you can work
for social change. Write a statement
about what you are for, care about,
and support.
PART THREE: Becoming a Compassionate
Rebel
1. Taking a Compassionate
Rebel Response: From your writings
and the compassionate rebel stories you’ve
read, brainstorm with your partner and/or
another pair of partners about how each
could respond as a compassionate rebel
response to personal struggles or dilemmas.
- What response would you would like
to make?
- What concerns, fears or excitement
might you have in carrying out your
compassionate rebel act?
- What support might you need
to make this act?
- What steps would you need to
take?
Write this part of your
story.
2.
Assessing a
Compassionate Rebellion: Report back
to the group the results of your compassionate
rebel act.
- Did it improve the situation?
- How did it make you feel? How did
it make others feel?
- What human rights were addressed?
- If you had to do it over again, would
you change anything? If so, what?
- How did you feel acting as a compassionate
rebel, even if it didn’t change
the situation?
- Do you feel this compassionate rebel
act would make a good TV show or movie?
3.
Writing Your
Own compassionate Rebel Story: Compile
all previous writing into one compassionate
rebel story and submit to www.compassionaterebel.org
where stories are being continually collected
for just this purpose.
Thank you for contributing to a
culture of peace and nonviolence!
Author: Rebecca Janke, Associate, University
of Minnesota Human Rights & Director,
Growing Communities for Peace
|
