Educational materials for a socio-ecological transformation

The story of the tiger


The embodied story enables the participants to address the topics of stress and resilience in the context of socio-ecological change.

Learning objectives

The participants…

Procedure

Background

The story is based on a chapter from the book “Stress” by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (2019, Munich: Kösel-Verlag, pp. 24-40) and is a well-known example when it comes to stress and the nervous system. This source is one of many and takes a certain perspective, which can also vary depending on the source. In sustainable activism workshops, the story can be used as an introduction to the topics of stress, burnout and resilience.
These topics can be discussed at the level of individual self-care and resilience or at the collective level. The focus here is on the questions of what individuals and groups need in order to be active (with each other) in the long term and sustainably and how a caring group culture can be created.

Preparation

The facilitator deals with the story and can tell it as freely as possible. The participants are in a semi-circle, so they can all look well at the play taking place opposite them.

Implementation

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

The participants sit in a semi-circle, the facilitator stands opposite them. Depending on how many facilitators there are, the narrator can sit or stand at the edge of the participants or play the main character and narrate at the same time. Introductory words can be: “To get an insight into our physical reactions to stress and to realize how important a group can be for recovery, make yourselves comfortable and watch our short play/listen to the short story.

2. The Story (5 minutes)

It is useful to share some introductory words to set the scene:

“The nervous system and how it deals with stress has changed evolutionarily slower than our environment. The story is an example of the kinds of stress people had to react to long before sexist bosses, the climate crisis and the capitalist logic of exploitation. The story describes the model of a stress cycle process. This process is not only consistent for humans, but also for many other living beings.”

The story: (based on Nagoski/Nagoski 2019: Stress. Munich: Kösel-Verlag, pp. 24-48)

“You stroll out of your village into the open field to take a break from your work. After a while, you feel like you’re being watched and look around. You see a tiger stalking towards you, ready to pounce. What a fright, your life is at stake! Your heart starts beating fast, your breathing quickens and your blood pressure rises. You have to flee! You are wide awake and focused, all your senses are heightened. Your muscles are tense, your whole body is electrified, while other bodily functions fade into the background: Your digestion slows down, your immune function changes. Now it starts. You start running as fast as you can. You hear the tiger behind you and you run and call for help and – you’ve made it back to the village, your community has closed the gate behind you in time. You are saved, alive, so happy and grateful. You celebrate a party together, lie in each other’s arms and rejoice in the beautiful community you have. You breathe in and out with release. You are safe now.”

3. Cheering (1 minute)

The narrator invites the participants to cheer and clap to celebrate together that the person has escaped the tiger.

4. Recapitulation (5 minutes)

The participants are asked what they have observed. The facilitator then recapitulates verbally what happened in the story and relates what was seen/heard to the stress response cycle:

“What the person experienced was a completed stress response cycle. I.e. stress builds up, the person reacts physically and psychologically to it, flees and finds a place of rest and celebration in the community after the successful escape. This completes the cycle.

However, stress is something that we encounter a lot in everyday life, and chronic stress in particular, i.e. stress that accompanies us on a daily basis, often does not end as easily as in history. It is important to consider the different ways in which we are affected by systems of oppression such as patriarchy, capitalism, ableism, etc., because stress and strain start at very different points in people’s lives and regeneration is also possible in very different ways (easily or with difficulty). However, there are examples of proven methods for ending the cycle or reducing chronic stress step by step.

Examples include: Breathing exercises, positive social interaction, laughter, affection, crying, creative expression,…

5. Reflexion in small groups (15-20 minutes)

The participants go into small groups of 2-4 people. They are given the following questions to share:

Here it is important to encourage the participants to only share what they want to share and to take good care of themselves in terms of how deeply they want to get involved in stressful situations.

– What do you personally find helpful in dealing with stress?
– What do we need from a group, what can a group give us when one or more people are stuck in stress?

6. Evaluation – Strategies of stress coping (5-10 minutes)

The facilitator invites the participants to share their own strategies and approaches to coping with stress in plenary. This should be voluntary and no one should feel pressured. In this way, participants learn different approaches from each other.

Variants

If there are more than two facilitators , it is worth presenting the story in a playful way, with a narrator, a tiger and a person from the story. The characters from the story imitate the narrative in a theater-like manner. In this variant, the participants can be more actively involved (as “the community”) and thus experience a sense of connection.

The method is also suitable in a shortened form (implementation of only 1. and 2.). It can then be continued in different directions (e.g. deeper into the topic of burnout or collective self-care and resilience).

Tips and notes for facilitators

It is important to consider in advance which topic will be worked on after the tiger story in order to frame the intensity with which (chronic) stress is discussed and to adapt the method accordingly.;


Content Note: When working in small groups on stress and how to deal with it personally, point out that participants should pay close attention to themselves and how deeply they want to go into stressful situations.

Sources

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. 

I don’t feel it

I don’t feel it?! A conversation about emotions in the climate crisis

The participants expand their view of the psycho-social effects of the climate crisis and global injustice through a guided meditation and reflections with emotion cards.

Learning objectives

The participants…

– broaden their view of the psycho-social effects of the climate crisis and global injustice

– find (initial) access to their own emotions regarding the climate crisis and other social challenges

– discover a connection with themselves and the world around them and feel strengthened in their ability to act

Procedure

Background

From a scientific perspective, there is clear evidence that emotion and cognition (i.e. feeling and understanding) are deeply intertwined and influence each other. People experience everything in an emotional-cognitive way. Even if emotions are not consciously perceived, they have a major influence on how people evaluate situations and how they behave. Emotions are psychophysical movements that are triggered by a situation. A conscious awareness of our emotions can provide us with information about our behaviour and the underlying needs.

Emotions also play a central role in the context of the climate crisis, global inequality and sustainability. For example, young people experience fear, helplessness, sadness, frustration and anger regarding the global present and future. At the same time, feelings such as hope and confidence are an important prerequisite for sustainable action. In educational work on these topics, it is therefore important on the one hand to give space to unpleasant emotions and to take them seriously instead of ignoring or pushing them away. On the other hand, it is also important to encourage positive emotions. These can promote the remodelling of synapse structures and thus learning processes, enable appreciative and complex relationships and inspire and stimulate sustainable, social action. Verbalising emotions can lead to a more conscious perception and a more reflective approach. It can also lead to the realisation that you are not alone with your own feelings.

This method is about enabling an initial approach to one’s own emotions in the context of the climate crisis and global contexts.

A mindful approach to oneself and the other participants is very important for the method. For the participants, this means paying attention to their own needs and only participating to the extent that they feel comfortable. It is important to remember that this is an educational event and not a therapeutic setting.

Preparation

The facilitator familiarises themselves with the accompanying text for the meditation. The cards with the emotions (see material for download) are printed out and cut out. It is advisable to print out at least two copies of each card and then have them ready during the session so that all participants have the entire selection available to them.

Execution

1. Guided meditation (10 -15 minutes)

The facilitator briefly explains the context of the method and why it is important to deal with emotions in the context of the climate crisis and global inequality. They can refer to the information provided in the background. They then lead them through a short meditation with the help of the accompanying text (see material for download).

2. Self-reflection (10 minutes)

The cards with emotions are then laid out openly in the room and the participants can walk around and take a card.

The facilitator emphasises that people can carry different emotions in their bodies. These emotions can feel stronger or weaker and be more or less conscious. The next exercise is about focussing on the emotion on the card. If the participants do not want to focus on the emotion on the card at the moment, they can put the card back and take another one. As soon as everyone has a card, the participants have a short time to focus on the emotion on their card. How do you recognise the emotion? How does it feel in the body? Where can you feel it?

3. Open sentences (30 minutes)

Then the participants come together in pairs and sit opposite each other for a dialogue exercise. They decide which of the two will begin to speak in the exercise.

The person has 12 minutes to answer the following questions (3 minutes per question).

Notes on how to conduct the conversation:

The questions are read out one after the other by the person leading the discussion. The first question is read out first and answered directly. After 3 minutes, the next question is read out and answered, and so on. The roles are then swapped. The person who listened first now answers the questions and the other person listens. There is no “right” or “wrong” here. It can help to remember the meditation exercise from the beginning so that you don’t just focus on your head when answering, but also involve your whole body. You can also pause or remain silent for a moment.

The other person listens attentively and focusses their attention on the person speaking. They treat the person speaking with openness and appreciation, do not interrupt them and do not share their own assessment, judgement or opinion. If desired, questions can be asked.

Finally, the participants have 5 minutes to reflect in pairs:

4. Evaluation (10-15 minutes)

Variants

An abbreviated version of this method is also suitable as an introduction to other methods on the climate crisis and global justice. The emotion cards are laid out in the room and the facilitator asks “When I think about the current situation in the world / the future of the world, what emotions do I feel?”. The participants can stand by the card that applies most and briefly discuss with other participants why they are standing here.

Digital version

The method can be carried out digitally with the following small adjustments:

The tips and notes for facilitators should be followed with care when using the digital version of the method. Here too, a certain level of trust between the participants and the facilitator is a prerequisite for the method. The digital space can feel less trusting for some participants. The atmosphere in the digital space can be more difficult for the facilitator to grasp. At the same time, the digital space offers low-threshold opportunities for participants to take care of themselves and, if necessary, withdraw from the exercise.

Tips and notes for facilitators

This exercise requires the participants to trust the group and the facilitator. Depending on the target group, it is possible that participants may not have consciously dealt with their own emotions before. It is therefore important to briefly explain beforehand what will happen during the exercise and to emphasise that the participants should participate to the extent that they feel comfortable.

The guided meditation offers an opportunity to strengthen the participants’ awareness of themselves and the world around them. The accompanying text (see material for download) can be individually changed or adapted by the facilitator. There should be enough time between each sentence for breathing and awareness.

For some target groups, it can be challenging to talk about their own emotions for a longer period of time. If necessary, the questions can be reduced in point 3. of the method. Open sentences and the time per person limited to a total of 5 minutes.

Possibilities for further work

Methods for alternatives, dream journey

Working material for download

Sources:

Who can change things?

In this method, To this end, the participants map out a “landscape of actors” in the room. They assume the perspective of important actors who contribute to social change in the context of national states on different levels. They examine opportunities for action and influence on and between these levels and discuss the power relationships which govern them.

The Spirit Level

Participants explore the extent to which quality of life can be increased by means of equitable distribution of income and wealth rather than economic growth. After considering their own position on the issue, the participants read an interview with Richard Wilkinson, co-author of the study “The Spirit Level”, who maintains that more equal societies suffer from fewer social and health-related problems. They then collect and discuss arguments for and against greater income equality.

Measuring the good life

With the help of a short text, participants work in teams to discuss different indicators which provide information on people’s well-being and standard of living. In the process, the strengths and weaknesses of each indicator are determined and shared among the groups using the World Café Method.

A collage of happiness

Participants create a collage on their individual perception of a happy and contented life. The collages are then presented to the group and a discussion is held on how these aspects change if the participants widen their perspective, regarding themselves as part of a group.

 For further instructions please open the document in the box.

There can only be a good life for everyone

Criticism of the concept of economic development, of production methods based on exploitation. Examples of socio-ecological transformation processes for sustainable development.

Learning objectives

The participants…

Procedure

(Background)

For a critique of development, it is important to analyze the socio-ecological effects and their colonial continuities. But also to know which alternatives and emancipatory actions are possible and lead to sustainable practices.

Instructors should be aware that the video represents a (historical) perspective on the topic of extractivism and development. We recommend familiarizing yourself with the complexity of the topic. On the one hand, this concerns the dominant idea of development in the Global North and criticism of this idea: mastery of nature through technological development and increased efficiency should create prosperity for all.

On the other hand, it is often a challenge for governments in the global South, for example, to break with an extractivist mode of production because the global economic system hardly allows this. Under these conditions, governments with an interest in social justice repeatedly finance social programs through the exploitation of natural resources. Although extraction rights are often awarded to companies from the Global North, this is not the case across the board, as the globalization of imperial ways of life and production has also given rise to internationally operating companies from countries of the Global South, which in turn are extractivist in other countries of the Global South. Finally, we would like to point out that the video ultimately comes to a head. Even within the Global South, the question of how social development should take place and what a good life for all might look like is naturally controversial.

Preparation

Set up the projector to prepare the workshop room. To aid understanding of the video, we recommend visualizing the following sequence of ideas shown in the short film.

Write them down on flip-chart paper or Moderation cards:

Title of the video: Polluters and Plunderers: The Roots of Africa’s Crises

Phases:

– 1 Autonomy and self-sufficiency

– 2 Industrialization, violence and the displacement of peoples

– 3 Corporate wealth and co-operations

– 4 Organizing for social justice

– 5 Independence of African countries

Implementation

1. introduction (5 minutes)

At the beginning, the context of the video and the associated questions should be clarified.

Depending on the participants’ level of knowledge, the leaders present or elaborate on the basic background of the definition of “development” or “extractivism” from the economic and capitalist context.

2. Video (15 minutes)

The video is shown. If the group is large enough, it is divided into five small groups at the end. Each small group is given the task of focusing on the presentation of one of the phases of the video.

The participants can take notes during the sequence that is particularly relevant to them.

The aim is to have an open discussion about each phase of the video with the whole group. Share and listen to their opinions on the situations and their outcomes.

Ask the group:

– Do you know the historical background and the current situation on the African continent?

– Can you recognize characteristics of the following aspects in the events in the video? Development, exploitation of ecosystems, extractivism, social movements, colonialism or colonial continuities?

3. Alternatives (max. 30 minutes)

If possible, we divide the group into five different groups again. Each group receives one of the cards with a description text of examples of “inclusive development”.

On these cards the participants can get to know examples of alternatives that propose an idea of post-development, transformation processes from below and actions for the independence of groups or communities in colonized countries.

Each group should read the content of the relevant letter and then make a proposal for a campaign to promote the content of the information, how to make it happen or use these examples from their locality or region.

Present your campaign proposal in action mode to involve all participants in the group.

For this part of the method, it is important to have enough materials that can be used creatively.

4. Evaluation (10 minutes)

With this method we want to convey the message: “There can only be one good life for all!” by showing examples of a transformation towards a sustainable and just economy, it is necessary for societies in the Global South to act more “independently”… they can make their own economic decisions. Otherwise, this means that the influence and interests of the Global North must lose influence. There are also imperial projects within the Global South – China’s New Silk Road. If necessary, draw attention to this complexity without wanting to relativize the responsibility of the Global North – especially in order to avoid the risk of reproducing dualistic thinking

Participants can lead a discussion, which will take place in plenary. Possible evaluation questions in the plenary are:

– What should we demand from our decision-makers in the Global North?

– What should we pay attention to when we are active in development policy or civil society?

– How can contact and dialogue between movements in the Global South and the Global North take place on an equal footing?

The results of the discussion can be presented on a flip-chart or on separate paper.

Tips and advice for instructors

As mentioned in the preparation part, it is important to make participants aware of the content, especially those who are directly affected by colonialism, to recognize the social inequalities and the emotional impact it causes. Create space for solidarity with their feelings and facilitate safe spaces that are free from discrimination and prejudice.

It is advisable to keep the language simple. When talking about colonialism and development or looking for information, you may find information or content that is somewhat complex or academic. Think about the target audience to be addressed and decide on the depth of approach to the topics accordingly.

Possibilities for further work

The concept of development used here is also viewed critically by many voices from the Global South. We recommend the reference material of the “Voices from the South” method (method booklet “Beyond Growth!”) for dealing with this topic. It uses some terms that may not be clear to all participants. We recommend that trainers pay attention to this and explain difficult terms explicitly.

The following methods can also be used for this topic:

– “Prosperity and the good life”.

– “Global justice!”.

Sources and further information

WoMin African Alliance (https://womin.africa/)

WoMin is an alliance of organizations across the African continent working with national and regional movements and women’s organizations, as well as communities affected by mining and mega-infrastructure projects, to expose the impact of extractivism on African women and promote equitable, women-centred development alternatives. WoMin works in 11 countries in West, East and Southern Africa to bring a radical African ecofeminist agenda to the discussion on the climate crisis, climate justice and ways to protect the future of the planet and its people from corporations, their allied governments and elites in the Global North and South.

WoMin African Alliance, “Polluters and Plunderers: The Roots of Africa’s Crises”

https://womin.africa/polluters-plunderers-the-roots-of-africas-crises-animated-short-film-series

24.10.2024.

Video:

WoMin African Alliance. “Polluters and Plunderers: The Roots of Africa’s Crises” Youtube. 04.06.2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAqj-iSSvuQ.

Karten:

Right Livelihood. Laureates. “The Chipko Movement”.

The Chipko Movement

24.10.2024

Proceso De Comunidades Negras (PCN), “Reparación histórica“

https://renacientes.net/.

24.20.2024.

La Via Campesina. “About La Via Campesina”.

https://viacampesina.org/en/international-peasants-voice

24.10.2024

Ashish Kothari, Ariel Salleh, Arturo Escobar, Federico Demaria, and Alberto Acosta. “Pluriverse. A POST-DEVELOPMENT DICTIONARY” Prakritik Swaraj (283). Radical Ecological Democracy (289). Tulika Book. India, 2019.

Lewis, Oliver. Degrowth. “Degrowth and disagreement: Why engage with our strongest critics?”. 30.07.2024

https://degrowth.info/en/degrowth

Prosperity and good life

What is meant by a good life or prosperity? Both ideas are discussed and placed in the context of global economic and political issues.

Learning objectives

The participants…

Procedure

(background)

In 2 groups, the participants define what they understand by either a good life or prosperity. After a presentation of the results, parallels and differences between the two concepts are discussed together and placed in the context of economic and political objectives.

Preparation

For a better orientation on the definitions of prosperity and good living, the facilitator should read the background text.

The following sentence beginnings are written on two different colored moderation cards:

Implementation

1. (5 minutes) The participants are divided into 2 groups of equal size and each group receives one of the prepared moderation cards.

2. (15 minutes) The groups now have time to complete the sentence. They then write their different interpretations of prosperity or a good life on moderation cards of the same color as a group result. Care should be taken to ensure that

– there is only one thought on each card

– written large and legibly

– spelling does not play a role

The groups cluster their results and find headings for the individual categories.

4. (10 minutes) Now everyone comes back together in plenary. First, the “prosperity” group presents its results and lays out all the moderation cards on the floor, then the “good life” group presents its results and lays out all the moderation cards next to the cards already on the floor. If the contents of the two groups’ results overlap, the cards are placed next to each other accordingly.

6 Reflection (15 minutes)

Now the group discusses the following key questions:

– Based on your results: Where do you see overlaps, where do you see differences between prosperity and the good life and how do you explain these?

– The political/social/economic focus is currently on prosperity. Do you know of any everyday examples that make it clear that the focus is on prosperity rather than the good life?

– One important example is the gross domestic product (GDP), which is used politically to measure the prosperity of our society. What does this say about our society/what are your thoughts on this?

– Possible final question: Would you have completed the sentences differently if they had been talking about you as individuals instead of you as a group?

Tips and hints for instructors

It makes sense to conclude with a common definition of prosperity. The approach of the good life (Buen Vivir) is currently being pursued in several Latin American countries and is defined as a national goal in the constitutions of Bolivia and Ecuador.

Possibilities for further work

This method is suitable as an introduction to the topic of prosperity. Various prosperity indicators can then be discussed, for example. A central question could be to what extent these indicators reflect our ideas of a good and satisfying life. The “How do we measure the good life?” method is suitable for this. (chapter 3).

The following methods can also be used for this topic:

Sources and further information

Duden Wirtschaft von A bis Z: Grundlagenwissen für Schule und Studium, Beruf und Alltag. 6. Aufl. Mannheim: Bibliographisches Institut 2016. Lizenzausgabe Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung 2016.

https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/lexika/lexikon-der-wirtschaft/21170/wohlstand

Duden Wirtschaft von A bis Z: Grundlagenwissen für Schule und Studium, Beruf und Alltag. 6. Aufl. Mannheim: Bibliographisches Institut 2016. Lizenzausgabe Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung 2016.

https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/lexika/lexikon-der-wirtschaft/21172/wohlstandsgesellschaft

Hartmut Rosa, Niko Paech, Friederike habeRmann, Frigga haug, Felix Wittmann und Lena Kirschenmann (2014). “Zeitwohlstand. wie wir anders arbeiten, nachhaltig wirtschaften und besser leben”. Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie e.V. oekom verlag. München, Deutschland.

Zeitwohlstand

Acosta, Alberto (2015). “Buen vivir. Vom Recht auf ein gutes Leben”. Oekom verlag München, Deutschland.

I.L.A. Kollektiv (Hrsg.) (2019). Das Gute Leben für Alle . Wege in die solidarische Lebensweise (seite 18). oekom. München, Deutschland.

Ecuadorianische Verfassung, Artikel 275. vom 20 Oktober 2008