Package designed for using drama and film for training in equality and diversity. The project entailed the production of a film and a series of worksheets to seek to bring home to the participants the importance of equality and diversity, and in particular race equality and ethnic diversity. The film and accompanying work sheets deliberately allowed participants to articulate common phrases associated with an anti-political correctness discourse. This was considered important to enable these common views frequently not articulated in such a setting to come into the open and be addressed. The feedback suggested that (at least some) participants initially antithetical to the equality and diversity agenda recognised as a result of the workshop that the issues associated with equality and diversity are serious and need to be confronted.
Resources required:
- Staff.
- Technical skills/ability.
- Engagement.
Available evidence of impact:
- Resource views.
- Shift of attitudes.
- Increasing understanding of EDI.
Links to available resources:
- Pilkington, A. (2010). How can film and drama be used on social science-based vocational programmes to engage participants? Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences (ELiSS), 3(1), 1-21.
- Ackroyd, J., & Pilkington, A. (2007). KEYNOTE: “You’re not allowed to say that” Minefields and political correctness. Caribbean Quarterly, 53(1-2), 49-62.
Implementation and potential challenges:
- Committed expert within department.
- Time and resources.
- Buy-in from the university.
- Funding – hiring student assistants or external consultants.
How to Use:
- Co-organise workshops between Drama and Sociology students.
- Incorporate cross-disciplinary learning into existing Sociology modules.
- Include dramaturgical tasks as assessments.
