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As
an integral part of its larger project on Teaching Tolerance, the
Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief is now soliciting
stories that illustrate principles of tolerance. The collected stories will be edited (as appropriate),
annotated, and published in a one-volume book. The Oslo Coalition appreciates recommendations
from all sources regarding possible stories for inclusion
The Coalition is soliciting recommendations
for stories (or narratives) not only from fictional literature (short
stories, poems, or passages from novels), but also from history
and biography. The stories
may be written by anyone from famous authors to school children. We anticipate that the following themes will
likely emerge from among the stories we will collect:
- seeing beyond stereotypes and prejudices to
understanding the Other;
- seeing ourselves as others see us;
- how intolerance harms not only the direct victims
of intolerance, but also those who are intolerant;
- the transforming experience that comes from
overcoming prejudice;
- the inspiring courage of people who fight
against prejudice;
- the admirable qualities of people without prejudice;
and
- how tolerant societies enrich the lives of
people
In some cases (depending in part
on copyright considerations), we will use selections from short
stories or novels. In
other cases, particularly in biography and history, we may write
our own versions (with appropriate scholarly attributions).
In some cases, true stories may have a greater impact on
some readers than fictional stories, although in other cases the
fictional story may be more inspiring. Nevertheless, in every case, we wish to
compile clearly written, easily accessible, provocative, emotive,
and interesting stories that bring to life the concept of tolerance.
Most literature pertaining to
tolerance comes from psychology, philosophical essays, or intellectual
history. While such
works can be of great value, they typically explain tolerance intellectually
rather than focusing on compelling stories -- whether fictional
or factual -- of people who overcame prejudices, who showed courage
in the face of intolerance, or who helped others become more tolerant.
Stories, unlike these theoretical discussions, have a particular
power to illustrate and to inspire feelings of compassion. Storytelling is a classic approach for teaching principles
and values not only to children, but as a pedagogical device that
is used by philosophers, novelists, teachers, and social scientists. A story can often illustrate a principle
in very direct and accessible ways.
Because people of different backgrounds,
ages, and cultures will respond to stories in different ways, we
intend to collect a broadly diverse range of stories to appeal to
different peoples. To
be sure, stories can leave different impressions on people. It is even possible that a story that
might powerfully illustrate tolerance to one person might suggest
the opposite to another. For
this reason, annotations will be provided both to help sort out
and categorize stories, but also to warn of how different types
of messages may be drawn from the same narrative. Of course, teachers and parents ultimately
will play the important role in deciding which stories are appropriate
for the children in their care.
We anticipate that teachers will be able to use the book
to identify stories that will be meaningful to students of different
ages and that adult readers will be enriched by the broad choices
available. Some examples
illustrating the types of narratives that we are seeking are identified
below.
The final work also will contain
a section that points the reader towards other information that
may be of particular interest, including additional resources, particularly
videos, motion pictures, documentaries, and other resources in libraries
and on the Internet. Although
we anticipate that the first version of the published document will
be in English, we hope to include as many inter-cultural and world
examples as possible. Thus
the work will be of immediate use not only in the English-speaking
world, but for those for whom English is a second language.
Depending on the success and support of the book, we hope
to translate the work into other languages as well.
Our ultimate goal is to create a widely available, single-volume
resource of stories that illustrates tolerance in compelling and
vivid ways.
The
following are examples of the type of fictional, historical, and
biographical selections that will be included. These examples
are illustrative only, and we hope ultimately to have a far broader
range of illustrations from different cultures and perspectives.
Examples
from world literature
- Erich
Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front (1928).
Late in the novel, a German infantry soldier stabs a French soldier
who has stumbled into a trench seeking safety. As the German
watches, the man whom he has stabbed slowly dies. During
this process, the German soldier begins to think of the French
soldier not as an enemy, but as a human being who has been caught
in the same trap as he. The French soldier ultimately is
seen not as an enemy, but as a man who had a family and a job
as a printer.
- Alan Payton, Cry, the Beloved
Country (1948). In
chapters 20 and 21, a prosperous white South African, Mr. Jarvis,
who is prejudiced against Blacks, visits the apartment of his
recently murdered son. His
son had been involved in efforts to provide social services for
Blacks and was strongly opposed to racial prejudice.
As Mr. Jarvis reads his son's journals and papers, he is
impressed as he learns of the depth and sincerity of his son's
commitment to promoting equality. Jarvis then attends a church service with Blacks
for the first time in his life, and he comes to realize the depth
of his own ignorance.
- Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
(1960). The novel contains
a trial scene where attorney Atticus Finch defends a falsely accused
Black man, and exposes the prejudices of a small town.
- David Guterson, Snow Falling
on Cedars (1995). Like
To Kill a Mockingbird, the novel contains a trial scene
from the 1950s where attorney Nels Gudmundsson courageously defends
a falsely accused Japanese fisherman on a small island in the
Pacific northwest.
- Anton Chekhov, "Rothschild's
Fiddle" (1894). Towards
the end of his life, an anti-Semitic carpenter mediates on his
life and comes to repudiate his own prejudices.
- Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont,
"Beauty and the Beast" (1757) (and many other versions).
For children, a traditional fable where a beautiful woman
overcomes her repulsion to an ugly man and learns to love him.
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The
Brothers Karamazov (1880). Within The Brothers Karamazov, Father Zossima recounts his
early life, including his personal transformation from seeing
an enemy with whom he was about to engage in a duel into understanding
the other person as a human being whom he could no longer possibly
wish to hurt. (An important theme of the novel as a whole
are the transformations of people in overcoming "resentment"
and prejudices.)
- George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876). An adult member of the British upper class
is surprised to learn that his parents were Jewish. The novel explores his attempt to understand
himself and others, and others' attempts to understand him.
- Charles Dickens, A Christmas
Carol (1843). Remembering
the past with sympathy, understanding the present, and imagining
the likely future all can help reshape an individual's worldview
and create a new respect for others.
Historical/biographical examples
- Donald Spoto, Reluctant
Saint: The Life of Francis of Assisi (2002). During the Fifth Crusade, Francis of Assisi traveled to Egypt where
crusaders were attacking the camp of Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil,
the ruler of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.
Francis crossed the battle line in order to meet with the
sultan. Although the historical sources for this encounter
are not fully reliable, it is clear that the two men B of exactly the same age B were deeply impressed by the piety and integrity of the other, and
they separated with abiding respect for the other.
- Jean-François Revel and Matthieu
Ricard, The Monk and the Philosopher (1999). A dialogue between a conservative French intellectual
and his son, a former scientist who became a Buddhist monk.
- Phillips P. Moulton, ed., The
Journal and Major Essays of John Woolman (1971). In 1762, John Woolman records in his journal
that he wishes to visit the Indians of western Pennsylvania, not
for the purpose of converting them to his religion, but that "I
might receive some instruction from them, or that they be in any
degree helped forward by my following the leadings of truth amongst
them . . . ."
- John Howard Griffen, Black
Like Me (1961). A
white American southerner artificially darkens his skin in order
to experience the results of racism.
- Maria Rosa Menocal, The
Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created
a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain (2002). Medieval Spain has interesting periods, albeit
sometimes only briefly and often imperfectly, when the three major
monotheistic religions lived together harmoniously. Although medieval Spain equally includes examples of intolerance,
there are useful examples that illustrate the successes of tolerance.
Further
examples
- Jeanne-Marie
LePrince de Beaumont, "Beauty and the Beast" (1757)
- Robert
Coles, Lives of Moral Leadership (2000)
- Stephen
Crane, "The Blue Hotel" (1898-99)
- Fyodor
Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov (1880)
- Anne
Frank, The Diary of Anne Frank (several conflicting editions)
- Ole
Peter Grell and Bob Scribner, Tolerance and Intolerance in
the European Reformation (1996)
- Shirley
Jackson, "The Lottery" (1948)
- John
Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath (1939)
- New Youth Connections, ed., Stories About Tolerance, Stereotyping,
War, Loss and Friendship (1993)
>
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR HANDING IN STORIES
Responsible:
Dr. T. Jeremy Gunn
JGunn@law.emory.edu
P.O.
Box 2399, Washington, D.C. 20013, USA
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