EDITORIAL
Dear Libertas+ readers, The April issue of our magazine is dedicated to stereotypes and prejudices. Do you think that you are a very nice, educated globetrotter and absolutely openminded person? Stop fooling yourself. We all have been experiencing prejudices and various stereotypes are deeply rooted in our personality. Some of them are harmless, others are dangerous. However, it is important to at least try to rise above them, open our mind to new people regardless of their origin, nationality, religion, color, education, employment, age, language etc. I'm not going to preach here that we are all equal; I do not have the right. You'd rather read articles by our contributors from across Europe, think about their words and keep in touch on www.magazinelibertas.com Btw: I'm from the Czech Republic and I like beer. (yes, sometimes stereotypes do correspond with reality)
Vladimíra Brávková, coordinator
I
’m Irish
p. 3 I’m Irish
Blathnaid Deeny / Ireland
p. 4
p. 16
The knights of The Not So Round Table Anastazija Dimitrova / Macedonia
p. 18
Classism: An unaddressed inequality
Prejudices
Daniel John Carter / Wales, UK
Ramon Martensen / Netherlands
p. 8
p. 20
Stereotypical Stereotype Breaker
Stories
Tomas Marcinkevicius / Lithuania
Marina Danic Rjasnoj / Serbia
p. 10
Social Theories and Factors for Presence
Nevena Smilevska / Macedonia
p. 12 Stereotypes and Prejudices Neal Parsons / Scotland, UK
p. 14
Stereotypes about behavior Evgenia Kostyanaya / Russia
p. 22 Why Czechs don’t like Russians? Lukas Valek / Czech Republic
p. 24 Film review : Mission London Valentina Joshevska / Macedonia
’m Irish
don't have red hair (except when I colour it for Christmas). don't drink much alcohol. don't like boiledpotatoes. don't hate the English. do like Guinness. don’t say “Top o’ the morning”. can’t do Riverdance. ’m not a leprechaun. don’t like Irish stew.
Bláthnaid Deeny, Ireland
3
Classism: An unaddressed inequality?
Classism is a term used to label a not address the limitations that clas- The elite upper class had always discriminatory process of oppression sism can place upon the lower ruled the United Kingdom through largely based on a socio-economic classes
including
those
'life that of land ownership, royalty and
situation, put simply it is a economic chances' that poverty can't offer. politics.
After WW1, the great
form of discrimination. Classism is a The basic fact is that classism is depression and WW2 the elite upper complex concept, with different theo- method of keeping the poor, poor class started to lose control of the ries and concepts on what it actually and the rich, rich. This gap between lower classes. After mass loss of life is. In modern times it is one of the rich and poor is one that has grown serving the country, the people least explored forms of discrimination significantly across Europe in the demanded more of the government. due to the popular view that Class last 30 years especially within the Aneurin Bevan an ex-coal miner from mobility is possible for all. Leading United Kingdom. those in the middle and upper class to stereotype those in the lower class as 'lazy and stupid'. The whole system of classism is rooted in prejudice with a large belief in the upper class that those in the lower class do not deserve to be upper class as they have not earned it. This belief does
4
South Wales lead the establishment
ÂŤClassism is method of keeping the poor, poor and the rich, rich.Âť
ÂŤA total remake of politics rather than a reshaping of old politics.Âť
of a free National Health Service. The
established the British class system In the European Union, the United
Education Act of 1944 and further
today. As these 'academics' flourish' Kingdom is 7th for the worst income
educational reforms were designed
into the managerial positions of the inequality and it has affected the last
to reduce the wealth gap and
upper-middle and upper classes the generations on a massive scale.
increase the 'life chances' of the poor.
world grew smaller and industrial Paulo Freire suggested that in a
Pre WW2 public provision was rare
competition grew larger. These new revolution
and free welfare was mainly in the
'managerial academics' came to the become an oppressor, in the UK,
form of charity. The transition of the
decision that the 'labourers' or work- after WW2 the UK had a very British
UK into a Welfare State had started
ing class jobs were no longer revolution of demanding more for the
after WW1, but WW2 really kicked
sustainable. By this time is was the people. A new wave of free, but
the transition into action. An educa-
late seventies, early eighties the left selective
tional test was established for the
wing 'community' Britain had turned created a new middle and upper
public called the 11 plus, and at 11
into a right wing 'individualistic' 'managerial' class running the coun-
those young people lucky enough to
government and the primary indus- try. Paulo Freire also suggested that
pass went on to a highly viewed
try was changing from manufactur- education is used by the oppressors
academic education in grammar
ing to service provision. Unemploy- as a means of 'domestication' rather
schools, those who didn't entered a
ment was at an all time high and the than liberation. Our new 'managerial'
more labour based education in
education
secondary modern. So post WW2
became purely academic. Over tion, they created curriculum, stan-
the 'less intelligent' rebuilt the country
time, the gap which for three dardised tests and the minimum level
and the 'academic' ran it, at first this
decades
system brought a lot of working class
started to widen.
into middle class and upper class
system
had
been
the
oppressed
academic
can
education
progressively class ran and still run the administra-
decreasing of qualifications needed for a large majority of jobs. Now the domesticated population are a factory line of
jobs, but its this segregation that
5
“How can a group that only have access to 1% of the UK's wealth be causing all our debt?� pen pushers, call centre staff and rich that control the banks, the politics computer programmers for the banks and the media are the ones who and software firms. They are content caused the debt, but they don't want with their weekends in the Elite upper to lose their power or pay it back. So class owned bars, reading the celeb- through domestication and social rity tabloids managed by the middle control, we believe what they tell us. and upper class managers. They believe what they are told by the Classism is an unaddressed inequalmedia (owner by the upper class), ity never look at on a social scale in 'immigrants are stealing there jobs', the UK. It is a silent and covert preju'benefits cheats are the reason for dice installed in us all, we are told the the countries debt'.
poor are poor due to lack of effort. A normalised stereotype that is OK to
Without an equal liberating educa- have, it causes us to put blame elsetion, the majority population believe where, sometimes on a minority what they are told. The poorest 50% group or political body. Classism is of the UK population account for 1% the root of all discrimination, it of the UK's wealth, the richest 1% chooses no creed, colour or gender. account for 50% of the UK's wealth. One has more than the other and Immigrants make up 4% of the UK's wants to keep it that way, only with population, so how can they be steal- opens minds can we combat this. At ing all our jobs? How can a group that the moment, Racism bleeds this only have access to 1% of the UK's country dry, but the real issue is Claswealth be causing all our debt? The sism.
6
Sources www.parliament.uk www.classism.org.uk Paulo Freire – The Pedogogy of the Oppressed (1970) Ivan Illich – Deschooling Society (1970) John Fitz, Brian Davies and John Evans Educational Policy and Social Reproduction (Class inscription and symbolic control) (2006) www.guardian.co.uk
Dan Carter, Wales, UK
“a silent and covert prejudice” “Classism is the root of all discrimination.” 7
Stereotypical Stereotype Breaker „Modern Young European in a teers, students and interns. Different Culture for a Relatively The Arbeit Macht Frei believers Short Time“ rant. The list includes They went abroad with a clear exchange, project, activity, intercul- purpose and they will for sure not tural, European citizenship, toler- give up on it even for a few days. If ance, nationalism, community, tradi- there are children to be taken care of, tional, disadvantaged, point of view, children will be taken care of. Trees will be planted, lectures will be Late ingenious comic George Carlin and many more. once did a perfect rant, called I believe most of EVS volunteers, attended, libraries will be occupied „Modern Man“. In a bit more than 4 Erasmus students and international and project deadlines will not pass: minutes he was able to name most of interns could relate to my list and no pasaran! The AMFs can usually
be noticed by dark bags below their the overused fancy words that are expand it. bombarding our brain from the inter- One of the main words in my rant eyes, annoying levels of enthusiasm, net, TV, business meetings and intel- would be stereotype. It worked out overall fatigue and irritability („I am lectual talks in such a fun poetic pretty simple: I had some stereo- the only one who’s doing any work
manner, that his contemporary Allen types about Macedonia, such as here!“) and sincere hatred from all the Ginsberg would have been left stand- inhabitants being lazy and overly- more-relaxed colleagues. ing in awe. I know you’ve heard this nice people from the South, The Oh Yeah, Baby, Let‘s Exchange phrase before, but you simply must all-embracing poverty and careless- type
YouTube: ness for the future, lonely shepherds Their morning starts at 2 PM with a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n taking care of mountain goats, trails cup of freshly-ground delicious hangsee
this
video
on
socialist-realist over from the crazy night before. NtRO3IrGg4&feature=player_embed of Yugoslavian culture etc. As I saw afterwards, Woo-hoo, it‘s a few months abroad ded Carlin was for sure a raging tireless some of them were complete and once you get here, why not enjoy and wireless workaholic and a blood- nonsense and some were partly it? The same three bars will be visited
for their weekly dose of cultural hound for cynicism of this world, so true. he perfected his speech skills in So it happens in this cruel world that exchange. No local or/and internayears of performing and his observa- the one who kills the monster tends tional girls/boys will be left unkissed tional talent over his whole life. I, for to take its place… Did you ever and no traditional drugs/alcohols will
instance, being a native young Lithu- notice how the ones, who came to be left untried. The opposites of anian, spent 7 and a half months as break their own and others’ stereo- AMFs, from the side they seem to be
an EVS volunteer in the Republic of types, tend to be or become quite pretty much similar: dark bags below Macedonia. Nevertheless, this time stereotypical themselves? Let’s run their eyes, annoying levels of enthuwas pretty much enough to hear all through a few types of young Euro- siasm in the evenings (and devastatthe words I’d need to make my own peans in different cultures: volun- ing lack of it in the mornings), overall
8
fatigue and irritability („chill out, man“)… These „ships in a strange port“, by the way, are loathed the most by the locals, especially those whose liked ones they kiss. The OMG I Love This Place people „Why do fools fall in love?“ asked Frankie Lymon back in the ‘50s, and I can answer you, Frankie: because
«I stopped worrying and started to love wine and rakija.»
they’re fools. To contradict myself, all the best things in life are foolish. In interesting, completely different in a Macedonia, I met a Spanish girl, who, wrong
way,
after spending four months in the purposeless.
depressing Homesickness
and and
country, started to identify herself as apathic laziness is haunting them Macedonian
and
slur
against like bad breath. Don’t worry for them
Greece. The OMG people lose the too much: they will enjoy their sense of reality, observe their new moments when they lose them. temporary home with large anime-
Fake hatred and fake love both don’t
styled eyes filled with tears of joy and last long. can’t see a wrinkle on the face of a The Keep It Real guys nice toothless 80 year-old lady next They’ve been there, they’ve done door. They love the country, they love that. They understand the absurd of the people, they love their colleagues temporality way better than anyone and they’re so going to miss them else, so they will never attach to afterwards… They are the ones in anything or anyone too much: love, and all we, mere mortals, can neither to the country, nor to the do, is to despise and secretly envy experience, neither to the work, nor them.
to new friends. The music can stop
The WTF Is This S..t? crowd
any second, and they don’t want to
„Why doesn’t this country produce be the only ones left dancing. Their proper beer?“ I used to ask sipping months or years abroad will have on „Skopsko“. My colleague once ended one day, and they will be reminded me: you wanted perfect brave: get drunk, tell a sad speech to beer, you should have gone to co-travelers through this period of
respected ones exactly those who nailed some guy to a cross a few thousand years ago? These are but five of all the stereotypes you can find between – and in every one of – young people who have gone to live and study/work in a different country. I am pretty sure you’ve or you will notice more, so share your observations in the comment section. And if you ask for advice (I assume you will do), I can tell you: don’t be afraid of stereotypes. I think in those 7 and a half months I spent some time in tens or even hundreds of them. Just don’t stay in them for too long and bite your coins to see what’s real gold and what’s just shimmering.
Belgium, not Macedonia. That’s how I life about how it was good, but it stopped worrying and started to love ended, take their experiences, go wine and rakija. The WTF crowd are without turning back to look and try usually the ones who traveled the to re-integrate in their native society. least and find it hard to adapt. They The realists are usually right and are going through hard times, so for deserve to be respected, but wait a them everything seems to be dull, not second… Were not the right and
“Spanish girl started to identify herself as Macedonian.”
Tomas Marcinkevicius, Lithuania
Source: www.mladiinfo.com. This is one of the winning articles of the Mladiinfo Article Writing Contest.
9
Prejudice Social Theories and Factors for Presence photo by Greg Lindquist, Flickr
Being prejudiced usually means get rid of one’s own feelings of inad- conflict may result in extreme acts of having preconceived beliefs about equacy by simply projecting them violence. groups of people or cultural practices. onto some other target - the scape- A third theory is the theory of the Prejudice can be both positive and goat. The prejudiced releases the authoritarian personality. The authorinegative. The negative form of preju- anxiety and uncertainty of their own tarian personality is formed as a dice can lead to discrimination, complex
problems
by
simply response
to
early
socialization.
although, it is possible to be preju- projecting them onto the scapegoats People with this kind of personality diced, but not act upon those with a simple statement: “Those rigidly conform, submit without quesattitudes. The practice of discrimina- people are the source of all my prob- tion to superiors, and reject those tion is linked with protecting one’s lems”.
they consider to be inferiors, also
own opportunities by denying access Another theory is the conflict theory. expressing intolerant sexual and to others who are believed not to Conflict theories emphasize the religious opinions. The roots of deserve the same treatment as social, political and material inequal- authoritarian personality may be everyone else.
ity of social groups. These theories found in parents who are unloving
But, where do one’s prejudices come draw attention to power differentials, and aloof disciplinarians, causing the from? Is it possible that we inherit such as class conflict. In order to child to control his/her anxieties via them through socialization?
hold onto their social status, power rigid attitudes.
A Couple of Theories
and possessions, privileged groups What Contributes to the Presence
Sociologists and psychologists have make sure that no competition for of Prejudice? worked on various theories about resources
arises
from
minority As for the social factors that may
prejudice. An interesting one is the groups. Depending on how extreme contribute to the presence of prejuscapegoat theory. In this theory the the measures used are, this sort of dice, the first one is socialization. scapegoat is a person or category of people who typically have little power and who are unfairly blamed for the troubles of others. This theory holds that prejudice stems from subconscious attitudes causing a person to
10
«Where do one’s prejudices come from?»
Socialization is the process through which the new member of a society inherits the norms, customs and ideologies of said society. Thus, prejudices cannot be excluded from this process. All socialization factors
«They have no choice but to accept the prejudice they do not agree with.»
cultures of others by one’s own Here are some places to start doing cultural norms and values. Also, it this: includes a suspicion of outsiders. http://www.outofthefog.net/Common Ethnocentric
tendencies
which Behaviors/Scapegoating.html for
usually involve stereotypical thinking the term “Scapegoating” are common for most cultures.
http://web.grinnell.edu/courses/soc/s
And last, but not least, economic 00/soc111-benefits. Previous social studies 01/IntroTheories/Conflict.html for have confirmed that prejudice rises Conflict theory when groups are in direct competition http://www.psychologistworld.com/inf
are present in this process, but for jobs, so it is only logical that preju- luence_personality/authoritarian_per parents are most likely to pass preju- dice increases during times of sonality.php for Authoritarian dice on to their children. However, economic and social stress. other factors, such as television, movies or advertising are also pres- This article is merely an outline of ent as factors in perpetuating preju- some of the theories and factors on
personality
Nevena Smilevska , Macedonia
dice and stereotypes about some the topic of prejudice. If you would groups, whether it is ethnic minori- like to extend your knowledge, by all ties, women, gays and lesbians, the means research the topic more broadly. disabled or the elderly. Another important factor is conforming behaviors. The pressure to conform to the views of one’s family, peers or associates can be extraordinarily strong, making the individual feel like they have no choice but to
«The new member of a society inherits the norms, customs and ideologies of said society.»
accept the prejudice they do not agree with. The acceptance of prejudices may bring much needed support from the primary group, i.e. family (parents, significant others, children) so rejecting the prejudices of one’s own group may mean losing the most basic social support of the primary
group.
conforming
Connected
behaviors
is
with group
closure. Group closure is a process where groups keep clear boundaries between themselves and others. One example of how group closure is accomplished is endogamy - not being allowed to marry outside an ethnic group. Ethnocentrism is also an important factor in forming prejudices, and it signifies the tendency to evaluate the
The Welsh Poppy, flickr
11
criminal. A 2004 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey found that alongside
Stereotypes and
about half of respondents believing crime
related
problems
were
commonly associated with young people, but they categorised this criminal behaviour as such activities as ‘hanging around on the street’. The
renowned
actress
Joanna
Lumley as also weighed in to the debate recently, describing young
Prejudices
people in the UK as having ‘slack morals’. How have we got to such a place where young people in the UK are considered criminals for being seen in public? More pressingly, what can be done? There are a number of excellent charities that work in the UK to improve peoples’ understanding of young people, and help shift this imbalance between perception and reality. There have even been some thought provoking campaigns, led by parts of the liberal media, to give young people the tools to make this
How would you describe young conducted in the UK the majority of change. The latest such campaign people in your country? “Yobs, thugs, adults believe that around half of all comes in the shape of The Truth sick, feral, hoodie, lout, heartless, crime is committed by young people About Youth, and is a mixture of both. evil,
vermin,
monsters,
frightening, inhuman,
scum, and of that crime almost half and involved violence. If we dare to look
threatening,” this is a list of the words at official statistics for the UK we find most commonly used in the UK that this is wildly off the mark. In media in 2009 to describe young 2001 it is calculated that only 2% of males. On top of that, figures show 10-30 year olds in the UK were that the majority of stories about this cautioned or convicted of a crime. demographic were about crime, and And only a fifth of youth crime is only one in ten featured a quote from related to violence. a young person, or considered their Perhaps more worrying is that not point of view. Are such stories, only do the British public assume flavoured with such language, young public are more involved in representative of young men in the crime than they really are, but when UK? probed further it becomes clear that If the public are to be believed, then young people’s general behaviour possibly. According to a 2006 poll and presence is perceived as
12
“2% of 10-30 year olds in the UK were cautioned or convicted of a crime.”
“The opportunity to show that they play an important roles in contributing to society.”
and a further 100 to run their own view that only bad news about young campaigns
challenging
negative people makes it into the press. We
stereotypes.
want to communicate the positive
This two-tiered approach, with large things that young people are doing in numbers participating and a smaller Glasgow.” group directly involved, is being used Whether this project can make a by Young Scot, in Glasgow, too. As measurable
impact
on
people’s
Allan Lindsay, from Young Scot, perceptions of young people is still to explains:
be seen, but what is clear is that, now,
“We know there are young people all more than ever, somebody needs to over Glasgow who are confident, stand up for young people in the UK, informed and active citizens who are and show they are neither ‘vermin’ making a positive difference in their nor ‘feral’, but essential parts of a communities.
Truth About
Youth functioning society.
gives young people the opportunity to show that they play an important
Neal Parsons, Scotland, UK
roles in contributing to society. the
“First of all, the project will see young
Co-Operative Foundation, The Truth
people run workshops to different
About Youth is a project that aims to
generations aimed at challenging
challenge and change negative
negative
perceptions that exist about young
people.
people in the UK. To do this the
website,www.thepatter.org, people of
Co-op, as they’re known, have given
all ages can blog and tell us exactly
funding to seven charities in seven
what they think about Glasgow’s
different cities: Birmingham, Bristol,
young people. We’re looking to hear
Cardiff,
London,
the truth, whether that is positive or
Manchester and Newcastle. Each
negative. And thirdly, Truth About
charity is then given two to three
Youth aims to challenge the existing
Founded,
and
funded,
Glasgow,
by
perceptions Secondly,
of
through
young our
years to devise a strategy for tackling the negative perception of young people in their area, before reporting back to the Co-op. Launched in the winter of 2009 these projects are now well under way and their approaches are coming together. Each city is given free-reign to run the project as they please, but it’s clear that each understand
the
importance
of
getting the young people involved, taking ownership, and being very visible. For example, Envision, the Birmingham based charity, has committed to supporting over 600 young people to tackle local issues,
photo - Paleontour, flickr
13
may get hurt. I have heard Italians, namely Sicilians, complaining that they are tired that they are treated either like Sometimes the world seems to be
playboys or mafia members, saying
too chaotic to be accepted just as it
that these stereotypes have nothing
is, so people tend to find some sense maybe they have had a bad day?), to do with reality. Me personally, think that all being from Russia, I am tired that in it. People tend to create rules, or we scales, which would allow them to British/Swedish/Norwegians
are people think that we drink vodka all
divide other people into good or bad, such, which is absolutely absurd! the time. I never drink it at all! And I or events into favorable or unfavor- There are no good or bad nationali- am hurt when I am treated like that, able. In fact, as we all know, there is ties; all people are absolutely differ- even though it might sound like a nothing entirely “white” or “black”, ent, and every person has its own joke, because sometimes it is just too and in each situation you can find character traits. Yes, people of one much. positive and negative sides. And still nationality this classification persists.
may
share
common
beliefs to a greater extent than with I believe stereotypes can be negative people from other countries, but not or neutral. Negative would be one
According to the dictionary, a stereo- necessarily. However if you notice that makes you act in an arrogant type is “an erroneous, relatively fixed, this you may keep it in mind, but if way towards others. The neutral negative you apply this knowledge next time instances would concern neutral generalization (based commonly on you meet a person from this country subjects such as weather, climate, bigotry, ignorance, and prejudice) without properly getting to know the expensiveness of a city, etc. For simplistic,
and
mostly
held to be true about certain individu- person, you risk making a huge instance, many people believe it is mistake, and actually you may even extremely cold in Russia in the winter. als or groups”. miss the opportunity of making good It is not really so. It depends on the When I think about stereotypes, I friends just because you have these region. In Moscow winters are no usually think about stereotypes “stereotype glasses”, through which longer as cold as they used to be regarding nationalities. People tend you simply can’t see the real person. even 10 years ago. Of course we to make generalizations of the char- Of course sometimes it is nothing might have frost at -30C, but it lasts acters of the people they meet. Once but a joke, but nevertheless, people for a couple of days only. We do not having met a person from, let us say, Britain/Sweden/Norway/etc, who is too reserved and maybe not friendly to us (for some unknown reasons,
14
There is nothing entirely "white" or "black".
+ =
a vodk
wear ear-flapped hats now that are I believe we stereotype a lot about considered to be an image of Russia. other nations, people of different There are no bears on Red Square, age, race, background, education, and we do not eat caviar every day! etc. The reason for that is lack of about the So such notions might be funny and knowledge mostly they are quite inoffensive, in nation/country/problem/disease…. comparison to stereotypes suggest- So the more we get to know others, ing that Russians are all heavy drink- the fairer vision we will have. ers… So I guess the best solution is to It seems that we have a certain treat every person independently, system of ideas in mind, which is also treat them as a PERSON, as an related to some other things, like individual, and forget about the ideas of where we should live, or country of their origin. Maybe we just
“Stereotypes can be negative or neutral.”
what we should study, or whom we need to let the world be a little should date or marry, or what job we chaotic in a good sense, stop classishould have. But what happens fying it so much and just accept its when a person decides to act other- endless variety? wise? parents
Imagine and
a
family
grandparents
where are
doctors, and they want their only son to become a doctor, and he doesn’t! He wants to become a cook! This is kind of a stereotype that a cook is regarded, even unconsciously, as inferior to the one of a doctor! But this is not fair! If a person really wants to become a cook, he will be a great one for sure. The point is that he will be happy with it, right?
t s u j e w e h e t b t “May d to le le t nee t i l ” . a c i e t b d ao l h r c o w
Evgenia Kostyanaya, Russia
«Democracy is an echo of unrealized hopes and unful- 15
Not so long ago, in a land not so far this situation, once and for all. We each other with eyes filled with hate. away land, some people realized the must listen to each other and teach Luckily we understand that things importance of not having stereotypes the people how to listen, really must change. We need to open their and prejudices. Realizing that the listen.”
eyes and tell them they have been
people from their countries are not
wrong”, said the Russian and raised
behaving humanly and property, they “My God, you frogs are all the same, his glass which was filled with water. decided to get together and analyze you still cannot accept the fact that this issue. For this reason they everyone knows English and not “Dio, mio another one? How many created the Round Table. The D day French” crossed the British mind “I vodkas this men drank? Do they came and so presenters of many absolutely agree mates. The world drink it there instead of water thought countries came to discuss.
is facing great deal of violence just the Italian while looking to his friend because people cannot see now “Si, si you all have a great point. But
First began the American “We gather untrue stereotypes are”. He said what can we do?” here today to discuss why there are while politely nodding. “Typical Italian job, just talks never
prejudices in the world and what can we do to stop them....”
“Mates? Seriously, mates? Is that does something. Yes, you all do the even a word? I bet you made it up work and we will make pizza and sing
“Ha, you Americans, always trying to while you were drinking tea. Yes you canzones. Phhh” quietly said the be the center of attention. That is why drank tea, while we were freezing in German. “I hear you all. And I agree you are all fat!” The French person Siberia”. The
Russian
said
to with you as well. The time has come,
thought, and interrupted “That is true himself. “What have we became, to take the situation in control” yelled my friends, we have to put an end to friends? Our people are looking at it now the German.” But we have been
16
here for an hour already. Let us take appeared
on
the
round
table.
a break, once our head is rested we Strange, very strange indeed. can think more clearly” The rest of the group quickly accepted this proposal, and so most went out for a smoke.
Anastazija Dimitrova, Macedonia
The Jewish gave the German a bad look and thought “Well of course you need a rest. You have been fighting for so long, you greedy people.” After the break the meeting continued. The stereotype-free people kept on discussing and sharing what was truly on their mind. Each idea was happily accepted and each presenter was careful as you heard before. They decided to have another meeting soon. They all enjoyed each other company so much. As they left they didn’t notices the sharp edges that
photo by Trainer62, Flickr
17
Prejudices When we talk about prejudices, we
What if my first impressions were negative?
can be based on an infinite rate uncertain social situations. If we enter
must make sure we know what we of characteristics, depending on the new social groups we have to know are talking about. I use to work on experiences the one having them how to respond to certain interaction, anti-discrimination
classes
acts or appeals. Before I arrived to
and had during his life.
Macedonia I was very nervous. I had
during my work I have read and
heard a lot of different definitions. In Therefore I will use the following no idea what to expect or if I was going to fit in. Therefore I gained as
order to have a clear view on what we definition:
are talking about, I will first share my Prejudice is when you have a very much information as possible. I definition of prejudice. After we have steady image of a person and his checked out the Facebook profiles of established this definition, I will personality that is not based on my fellow volunteers and spoke to explore how it influences human actual experience or interaction with some of them through Skype. It made interaction and how we should act the person himself, but which is me feel comfortable and gave me an upon this influence, and if it is neces- determined from small amounts of indication of what to expect. It gave sary to act upon it in the first place.
information which
you
interpret me some security about how to act.
based on personal/unrelated experi- Based on the small amount of inforThe definition of prejudice that I will ences or just random assumptions mation that was digitally available I use in this article will be very general. about the group this individual decided what my first opinions about The term is often associated with belongs to.
the people were and how I, according
racial, national or gender related
to those opinions would fit in. In this
stereotypes. I would like to approach When it comes to prejudices there case those opinions were positive it on a more universal level. When are two things we all share. We all and therefore I felt better about my you only relate prejudice to those have them and we all agree that it is decision. categories, people who think they not desirable to have them. If we all have freed themselves from the have them, why should we think are In this case I was consciously prejustereotypes based on those catego- undesirable? There are reasons dices and it turned out for the good. ries might feel like they are free of why we have them. They help us to This is an example of a positive use prejudice completely. And prejudice process information efficiently in of prejudice.
18
So why should we consider preju- I think this is the core problem with Always keeping the feeling that there dice to be undesirable, or more prejudices. If someone is not willing was a great part of me that I ignored precise: in what shape or form will to change the image they have of or I didn’t have the opportunity to they
get
the
status
of
being you, you will be treated in a way that explore. It was only when I started at
unwanted? Let me explore this ques- is not fit to who you are at your deep- a new school that I found the opportion through another example.
est level. Because you are treated tunity to rediscover myself and that way, you are also forced to act become a self with whom I feel confi-
The other day my Macedonian in a way that is not yours.
dent.
teacher told me she was surprised You will end up living in an environwhen she met me for the first time. ment where you can never be your- We all carry the responsibility to She told me I looked different on my self. Living and not be loved, or at those around us to prevent them from Facebook profile. According to her I least known for who you are or what feeling the same sort of loneliness. looked far stronger in the picture than you consider to be your ultimate self. We should all make the effort to see what I turned out to be in real life.
I would consider this the ultimate and cherish the ultimate self of the
When, just out of curiosity, I asked form of loneliness. The person you other. I think my Macedonian teacher her how she would define the image want to be, locked inside; staring out had the right way of doing so. First she had of me in real life, she started the windows that are your eyes, she admitted to herself that she had apologizing. Telling me that she trapped behind a glass wall. Not an image of me. This made her hoped she did not offend me with her being able to participate in the inter- aware that she had to question this remark. I immediately told her that I action around you.
image. Secondly she was open to be
did not feel offended because I knew
surprised by my actual person. Third
her well enough to know that her I have experienced this during my she told me about the image before intentions weren’t bad.
secondary school period. I spoke and after meeting me. Thereby giving really slowly. I had a monotone me the opportunity to respond to this
Later, I thought about this. What if my voice. I was also known for smoking image and explain/correct certain first impressions were negative? a joint every once in a while. People misinterpretations. Maybe if I saw something on her just sort of connected the dots, and Facebook that draw my attention and assumed that I was stoned out of my This kind of open communication is which I thought to be negative. Or head all the time. Everything I said, not only giving us the opportunity to what if I had the image of Macedo- even though it was very carefully be our absolute selves in any given nians being rude and patronizing? I thought through, was being treated situation but also helps to get to know would have probably acted differ- like mumbling of a dope head. the other for all he or she is or can be. ently, thereby causing her to view me Therefore I cultivated this image differently until the negative spiral of through acting like the class clown. images and acts would be born.
Ramon Martensen, Netherlands
«We all have prejudices and we all agree that it is not desirable to have them.» 19
Stories
And there wasn’t actually «they» or «them» anymore, but «you».
college campus, she realised it was
anyone who was not from my coun-
high school, we had this group of
all about the music. They simply felt
try. And then I got a scholarship for a
people who dressed in black leather
more attracted to it and made it part
big
and had long hair and strong make-
of
America.”
up on their faces all the time. I
clothes. And there wasn’t actually
Paul took up the offer and became
thought they never showered, their
“they” or “them” anymore, but “you”.
one of the students who had come
parents didn’t care about them and
Approaching
her
from all over the world, including his
they probably used some kind of
stereotype personally, Lizzie over-
neighbouring countries. He made
drugs at their secret hide outs. They
came her prejudices almost effort-
friends with them while studying inter-
never wanted to socialise, and the
lessly, just by letting the situation
national relations and slowly began to
whole school rejected them.”
happen.
realise that his parents were influ-
When Lizzie finished high school, a
Paul (19), Thailand: “Thailand is a
enced by the political situation that
typical playground for harsh preju-
developing country. I always thought
was tightened during his childhood.
dices, and later went to college, she
that people from neighbouring coun-
The term “steal” actually referred to
realised that half of those kids lived in
tries wanted to take advantage of us
steeling opportunities. Paul realised
her neighbourhood. Their parents did
and steal our goods. I was influ-
they were not going to steal anything;
care for them, and after spending
enced by my parents who used the
on the contrary, together in this new
time with some of them on the
term “steal” literally and misinter-
environment, they helped each other
preted it.
out in school and life.
Lizzie (24), U.S.A.: “When I went to
20
their
everyday
the
life
source
through
of
I didn’t spend time with
multicultural
university
in
didn’t watch a lot of foreign movies or
didn’t know anything about their kinds of stereotypes through life. culture and wasn’t attracted to it, so I
television. My father used to say that
just labelled them as boring. After a
all the stories about great men were
while I found myself sitting alone at
full of violence and harmful to the
the canteen.”
Salih (21), Turkey: “In my family, we
When we overcome one, it can happen that we start developing another. Parents and media are the
soul. I didn’t know what to think about
Some might say it is better to be top two developers of prejudices
Che Guevara or Martin Luther King.”
alone than in bad company, but this among people. The good thing is that applies only if the company is justifi- once you realise that you overcame
Every rebellion in Salih’s country, due to the political regime back then, was presented as a bad influence and non-exemplary. When he decided to
ably “bad”. Senad had a few labora- the prejudice, you can use the same tory practices with his Indian mechanism in the next situation and
colleagues and liked the way they slowly become immune to generalirebellions changed colours and Salih were interested in science. Some sations. These were examples of started exploring what they were were really clever and thought him young students who were tested and pursue a career in politics, those
fighting for, against whom, and with which successes or consequences. Now he is planning a rebellion within his profession, as much as is in his
how to study more effectively. They rejected prejudices. weren’t generally boring after all. It is a fact that we are exposed to all
Marina Danic Rjasnoj, Serbia
power, and to fight for his beliefs. Senad (22), Serbia: “When you change environment and have to adapt to another situation, especially if you’re feeling homesick, it can turn into a burst of prejudice towards anyone new you meet. My colleagues at the new university were mostly Indian. I
«We are exposed to all kinds of stereotypes through life.» 21
Why Czechs don´t like
Russians?
There are many reasons for my stay in Russia and one of them was to get an answer to this question. After half a year living and travelling in the biggest country in the world I think I can understand and explain
people). There was not much the Soviet soldiers during liberation
basic cultural and historical problems personal contact between ordinary from Nazi. As any other soldiers, they Czechs can have with Russians and Russians
and
ordinary
Czech weren’t very gentle and created the
when Russians come to Czech people. Czechs in the past usually image of the Soviet army as strong Republic I can also understand and just heard fragmented stories about yet brutal and an inhumane army. In explain why they are not welcomed some distant Slavic country in the this period between the years 1945 very warmly. I will try to explain it from east. With the end of Second World and 1968 the thinking about Rusthe point of view of a foreigner; a War liberation from Nazi was done sians was quite undamaged in Czech
person
using
historical for eastern part of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
and
not
many
by Soviet army and for whole west- Czechs had reason to dislike Rus-
context.
ern part by the Allies, two years after sians. As I pointed out, when Russians the end of Second World War in the travel to Czech Republic they should year 1948 communists took the rule Change came in 1968. During this be ready, that they may not be in Czechoslovakia describing Soviet year some Czech communistic politiaccepted with enthusiasm and good Union as our eastern “brother”, a cians made progress in developing moods. It of course entirely depends biggest friend and ally. After that communistic ideas deciding to create on personality of the person they met time people just constantly heard a more open society. They decided and his/her previous experience (or about good things from the Soviet that censorship is no longer so lack of experience) with Russians. Union, never bad. So over time, necessary and they wanted to reform Before the year 1968 there wasn’t Czech people who never met Sovi- the government, but still sticking to much contact between Russian and ets or Russians, just believed what high ideas of communism. This was Czech people at all (if you don’t take they heard. Sometimes this trust labeled “Communism with a human into consideration the small amount was shaken a bit by goods brought face”
which
could
finally
bring
of people serving in legions in Russia from Soviet Union which “was” the humanity into the failing communistic during and after the First World War best on the world. This was said as system and make it a viable way of or in even more distant history, brief propaganda; in all actually they government. In the Soviet Union they visits of important Russians which were quite crappy. Also, some understood this idea incorrectly while you
22
cannot
count
as
common people remembered the behavior of a big contra-revolution was happen-
experiences with them. The main problem was and is the distance and with it the impossibility of meeting normal Czechs with normal Russians and vice versa. From all what I wrote above simply coming out, the only way to break the stereotypes on the part of the Czech
«Change came in 1968.»
people is to go to Russia to meet people and talk with them. On the part of the Russians this means for Russians to try go to the Czech
ing
in
Czechoslovakia
they with a lack of knowledge and maybe
dispatched large army force consist- even ignorance on the part of some ing from armies of the whole eastern Czechs which isn’t in the Russian’s block. Citizens of Czechoslovakia favor. There is a small but still noticewere very surprised by the strength of able percent of Russian speaking the army which came to their land to citizens from other former Soviet seize it by force. Even more that Union countries which work in Czech there was actually nothing happen- Republic. This problem has two basic ing, no revolution or contra-revolution parts. First there is a classical fear whatsoever only everything was that foreigners are taking jobs from finally getting better and Red Army Czechs. The second is fear of crimisoldiers came to stop this nice nality as foreign eastern workers dream. Next, protests against Soviet have a tendency to form criminal invasion left several people killed. groups and because they speak RusThe Soviet army was present in sian they are, by some not very open Czechoslovakia until the fall of com- minded Czechs, tagged as Russians. munism in 1989. As military presence As I’ve implied already, this is not a is usually not a positive representa- problem with Russians at all. This tion of a country or its culture and problem falls in the hands of the Soviet soldiers were not an example especially lower educated Czech of educated and cultivated people; people who automatically consider they made really bad impression any Russian speaking person as about Russians in the minds of Russian. Czech people. Now, mostly only older Czechs remember and met I think it is quite understandable now Russians that weren’t Soviet soldiers. that Czechs mostly have no reason to think well about Russians as they
Republic, meet ordinary people and show them that they are just people as they are. During your visit to the Czech Republic please keep in mind the Soviet history is part of Russian heritage and it is understandable, that Czech people will connect with it. As members of that nation, please try to understand that the Soviet army did not leave a good impression about Russia at all and it is now in your hands to improve the image. Russia is quite a militant country and Russians are often proud of its historical army achievements. On the other hand Czechs tend to be more pacifistic disliking useless fighting for a piece of earth or money. Aside from that there are of course many more cultural differences, but they should not stop us from talking. Only thoughtful dialogue is the way to change an opinion inscribed into the minds of Czech people, by the so unfortunate events of the past.
The next reason is connected more have historically had no positive
«Soviet army did not leave a good impression about Russia.»
Lukáš Válek, Czech Republic
23
Film review
Mission London Director: Dimitar Mitovski
It is a question: Should Bulgarians be Queen attends the concert. But with proud of this movie or is there space corrupt staff, criminal gangs operatfor negotiation and complaint? I have ing out of the kitchen, falling in love never seen any other Bulgarian with a stripper and a little misundermovie, so I cannot make any com- standing with a PR company that parison. I heard that this movie made provides Bulgarian
film
history
look-alike
royalty,
his
its simple task turns into a chaotic
with
success. According to cinema-goers nightmare. "Mission London" mostly in Bulgaria and elsewhere, it is the suffers from a tired and unoriginal first
Bulgarian
blockbuster
ever premise, total lack of focus, incoher-
made. This movie didn’t meet my ent plot, overacting and flat jokes. expectations at all; maybe I had very Plus it has too many characters, high expectations or something; I with most of them completely undeveloped. But on the other hand “Mis-
can’t explain myself.
The plot of the movie unfolds around sion London” is well done visually. Varadin, a Bulgarian ambassador The director used impressive variety who arrives at his new post in London in camera angles and the photograa few days earlier than expected, and phy is quite good as well. finds the embassy in disorder with no However, this film achieved record preparations in place for celebrating numbers of visitors, at least for our Bulgaria's accession to the EU. standards in the Balkans, which Under
pressure
from
Madame proved again that we can laugh at
Selianova, the President's wife and a our mistakes because we know how patron of the event, Varadin's political to understand them. standing rests on him ensuring the
24
Valentina Joshevska, Macedonia
25
by Published ation Creactive soc Youth As ct-ive.org a e r c . w ww
Dan Carter / Wales, UK Tomas Marcinkevicius / Lithuania Blathnaid Deeny / Ireland Nevena Smilevska / Macedonia Neal Parsons / Scotland, UK Evgenia Kostyanaya / Russia Lukas Valek / Czech Republic Anstazija Dimitrova / Macedonia Ramon Martensen / Netherlands Marina Danic Rjasnoj / Serbia Valentina Joshevska / Macedonia
is additional European issue of the digital youth magazine LIBERTAS, published every 15th in the month with support from the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe. LIBERTAS is a monthly youth magazine fully prepared by a group of young people from different countries, supported by the Youth Association creACTive (www.cre-act-ive.org). Published for the young people worldwide, LIBERTAS and LIBERTAS+ are distributed through the internet to anyone who is interested - free of charge. All texts published in LIBERTAS+ represent solely the opinions of their authors, not of the magazine, its publishers or funders. LIBERTAS, creACTive and the European Youth Foundation are not responsible in any way for the contents of the articles, or for the photos published with them.
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Charlie Delhumeau