CROSSING BORDERS Arnd Wächter DOCUMENTARY FACILITATION RESOURCE Prepared by Safoi Babana-Hampton Associate Professor of French Romance and Classical Studies, Michigan State University (2012)

Table of Contents Previewing Activities - Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: Previewing Activities - Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: Thinking in Context Thinking in Context Complex Thinking Complex Thinking Cultural Self-awareness Cultural Self-awareness Discerning between Fact and Fiction: Morocco Between Myth and Reality Discerning between Fact and Fiction: Morocco Between Myth and Reality Postviewing Activities – Strategies to Successful Assessment of What we Learned: Postviewing Activities – Strategies to Successful Assessment of What we Learned: Consider all the experiences and views that make Moroccan and American students in the documentary different. Consider all the experiences and views that make Moroccan and American students in the documentary different. Consider all the experiences and views that Moroccan and American students in the documentary share in common. Consider all the experiences and views that Moroccan and American students in the documentary share in common. Consider all the obstacles to successful intercultural communication, encountered by both groups. Consider all the obstacles to successful intercultural communication, encountered by both groups. Consider the ways in which the encounter of both groups changed their perceptions of each other and enriched their understanding of each other’s cultures. Consider the ways in which the encounter of both groups changed their perceptions of each other and enriched their understanding of each other’s cultures.

Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: 1. Thinking in Context What does it mean to know Morocco in context?  To know Morocco in relation to different spaces, societies and cultures it is in contact with.  To understand Morocco from multiple perspectives.  To recognize that its culture is the sum of all these relations, that its culture is not homogenous. Activity: Observe the maps below, and discuss how they illustrate the ideas above. C Morocco in North Morocco in African Morocco in the World Africa Continent

Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: 2. Complex Thinking Definition of « complex »: A whole made up of complicated or interrelated parts. A whole made up of complicated or interrelated parts. Definition of « thinking »: Judgment, opinion; the action of using one's mind to produce thoughts. Judgment, opinion; the action of using one's mind to produce thoughts. Q. From the above definitions, how can we define « complex thinking »? Activity: With a partner, describe the contents of the brown bag below: With a partner, describe the contents of the brown bag below: Discuss whether the items contained in this bag share Discuss whether the items contained in this bag share something in common or not. Can you describe the contents of this bag by using one Can you describe the contents of this bag by using one single word or criterion? What are the advantages but also the challenges of doing so? How can you describe the contents of this same bag using one How can you describe the contents of this same bag using one criterion, if you also add to it your cell phone, your flu medicine, house cleaning products, yard tools, a basketball, your desk lamp and a baseball bat? Are these items usually grouped or stored together in the same bag? Comment on this idea.

Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: 2. Complex Thinking (continued) How can we use complex thinking in order to understand our identities, our histories and those of others? Activity : With a partner, discuss the differences between a blanket and a quilt. With a partner, discuss the differences between a blanket and a quilt. Use the pictures of a « blanket » and a « quilt » below as visual metaphors in order to develop your own view of the following: Use the pictures of a « blanket » and a « quilt » below as visual metaphors in order to develop your own view of the following: Is our cultural identity (who we are as a society) a blanket or a quilt? Explain how and justify your view with examples and arguments. Is our cultural identity (who we are as a society) a blanket or a quilt? Explain how and justify your view with examples and arguments. Is our history (our collective heritage and our collective past) a blanket or a quilt? Is our history (our collective heritage and our collective past) a blanket or a quilt? Explain how and justify your Explain how and justify your view with examples and arguments. view with examples and arguments.

Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: 3. Cultural Self-Awareness Morocco is considered as an Arab and Muslim country. Reflect on how Arab and Muslim Americans are typically perceived in American society, by observing the first row of images below. Morocco is considered as an Arab and Muslim country. Reflect on how Arab and Muslim Americans are typically perceived in American society, by observing the first row of images below. The pictures on the bottom row represent different American public personalities with an Arab heritage. How do those images contradict clichés and dominant stereotypes of Arabs. What do they confirm about our own identity as an American society and culture. The pictures on the bottom row represent different American public personalities with an Arab heritage. How do those images contradict clichés and dominant stereotypes of Arabs. What do they confirm about our own identity as an American society and culture.

Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: 3. Cultural Self-Awareness (continued) Watch the documentary below produced by Jack Shaheen, an Arab-American Professor, in which he examines images of Arabs in Hollywood films. Video of Documentary Reel Bad Arabs - How Hollywood Vilifies a People Video of Documentary Reel Bad Arabs - How Hollywood Vilifies a People Activity: Make a list of the dominant clichés and stereotypes identified by Jack Shaheen Make a list of the dominant clichés and stereotypes identified by Jack Shaheen and compare them to the reactions and observations you made in the previous activity regarding images of real Arab-Americans. previous activity regarding images of real Arab-Americans. Discuss how stereotypes such as those presented in this Discuss how stereotypes such as those presented in this documentary can obstruct intercultural communication documentary can obstruct intercultural communication and obscure our understanding of other cultures. and obscure our understanding of other cultures. Reflect on how this documentary challenges us to rethink Reflect on how this documentary challenges us to rethink our assumptions about ourselves and the world. our assumptions about ourselves and the world.

Strategies to Successful Intercultural Communication: 4. Discerning between Fact and Fiction: Morocco between Myth and Reality The classic Hollywood film Casablanca has for a long time evoked a mostly vague and mythical picture of Morocco. Though considered generally today as an Arab and Muslim cCountry, Morocco is a richly diverse society: Religious diversity: Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Linguistic diversity: Arabic, Berber, French. Ethnic diversity: Arab, Berber, African. Geographical diversity: Atlas mountains, Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, the Sahara desert. Complex history: Phoenician, Roman, Arab and French civilizations and conquests. Observe the images below and how they relate to the above points. Why is it important to recognize these facts?

Strategies to Successful Assessment of What We Learned: Crossing Borders Consider all experiences and views that make Moroccan and American students in the documentary Crossing Borders different: Consider all experiences and views that make Moroccan and American students in the documentary Crossing Borders different: 1. Think of examples illustrating each group’s awareness of perceptions held about their own culture by others: What do American students know about the perceptions formed about their own culture by others. How does this cultural self- awareness prepare them to engage in a constructive dialogue about who they really are? 2. How do American students perceive and express their cultural difference to their Moroccan peers? 3. How do Moroccan students perceive and express their cultural difference to their American peers.

Strategies to Successful Assessment of What We Learned: Crossing Borders Consider all the obstacles to successful intercultural communication, encountered by both groups in the documentary Crossing Borders: Consider all the obstacles to successful intercultural communication, encountered by both groups in the documentary Crossing Borders: 1. Cite the examples that each side gives in order to express what contributes to the failure of intercultural communication, intercultural misunderstanding, and to creating more barriers among cultures. What is the main source of these obstacles? 2. What specific choices and personal attitudes do various members of each group adopt in order to successfully and thoughtfully face the dilemmas and challenges to intercultural communication?

Strategies to Successful Assessment of What We Learned: Crossing Borders Consider all the experiences and views that Moroccan and American students in the documentary Crossing Borders share in common: Consider all the experiences and views that Moroccan and American students in the documentary Crossing Borders share in common: 1. How does living and traveling together in Morocco highlight the experiences and beliefs that both American and Moroccan students share in common? 2. What personal adjustments do various members of each group make in order to open up to the other and engage in a constructive dialogue and recognize their commonalities. 3. In your view, how has this experience of living and traveling together transformed the students on both sides? How do you think this new experience will shape their lives and their thinking moving forward? 4. How has this documentary expanded or contributed to what you already know?