Reflection on the Field Trip to the Museum of Tolerance - Essay Example

1. Reflection paper "The unfinished character of human beings and the transformational character of reality necessitate that education be an ongoing activity. . . .The pursuit of full humanity, however, cannot be carried out in isolation or individualism, but only in fellowship and solidarity; therefore it cannot unfold in the antagonistic relations between oppressors and oppressed. No one can be authentically human while he [or she] prevents others from being so." - Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed The above-mentioned quote by Freire, resonates well with the recent field trip that I was a part of, to the Museum of Tolerance. I realized the significance of education, especially one that encourages greater awareness and knowledge about diverse cultures, races, ethnicities, and societies as well as enable the learner to appreciate them in the process. The Museum of Tolerance is an educational branch of the internationally renowned Jewish human rights organization; the Simon Wiesenthal Centre. It is the only center in the world that is wholeheartedly dedicated toward spreading awareness about the dreadful Jewish holocaust, and encourages academic discussions and debates with regard to one of the most socially rampant phenomenon - cultural and racial prejudices against those in the minority (Museum of Tolerance, 2014). Racial, cultural, ethnic, gender-based and disability discrimination is rampant in the world we live in today. The world is shrinking faster than ever before, blurring all boundaries and giving rise to multicultural societies where people from all walks of life, races, ethnicities and religions live together. Hence it is highly imperative for individuals in general, and the youth in particular to become highly aware of the cultural differences and the manner in which prejudicial attitudes toward those in the minority affect the social fabric in the long run. My recent visit to the museum brought to the fore various controversial and contemporary issues with regard to race relations and discrimination in our society today, and challenged us in confronting them by assuming personal responsibility and taking positive steps toward eradicating this social evil. I realized that the very differences in peoples socio-cultural backgrounds could be a major contributory factor in causing a rift between them. The majority, are always privileged whereby they reserve the right to vehemently voice their opinions while imposing restrictions on those in the minority, merely on account of their single-dimensional perspectives and prejudices against those who do not share their socio-cultural values. Factors such as race, gender and ethnicity are multidimensional in nature and are highly interconnected. However, such multidimensionality and interconnectedness of races, ethnicities, gender, or even sexuality, of individuals are highly visible and more pronounced among those who are at the receiving end of the oppression and inequality (Andersen & Collins, 1995; Chow, Wilkinson, & Baca Zinn, 1996). Exposure to socio-cultural historic backgrounds of individuals and societies, help in facilitating greater understanding of the differences that separate us, and at the same time bring us closer by providing us a comprehensive insight into their unique experiences and struggles and the factors that compel them to make the choices they make. Events such as these (visit to the MOT) help us in expanding our knowledge about the unique history, struggles, experiences and perspectives of people from diverse cultural backgrounds and help us in dealing with conflicts with harmony and greater understanding in long run, It also teaches us to avoid cultural generalizations and make an attempt to understand the differences and the causes behind the same. Conflicts between cultures, races and ethnicities are inevitable but at the same time they are also highly avoidable. Conflicts arise mainly due to cultural attitudes and difference in perspectives that enable individuals to look at things a certain way. Conflicts hence are not merely restricted to political or sovereignty issues but also due to reluctance to acknowledge, the difference, inability to see things from diverse perspectives and lack of knowledge to effectively address them (Hampden-Turner & Trompenaars, 2000). Cultural, racial and ethnic differences can best be resolved through education, communication and assimilation. Education widens ones scope and provides a clearer insight into cultural and racial differences; communication enables effective resolution of conflicts through peaceful and amicable means; while assimilation ensures building of harmonious relationships across diverse cultures. Volunteering is also one of the most effective means of ensuring greater socio-cultural harmony, since it brings together people from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural and religious background together for a common cause, enabling them to work together and providing them the opportunity to understand one another in the most natural manner possible. Works Cited Museum of Tolerance. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved 11 28, 2014, from Museum of Tolerance: A Simon Wiesenthal Centre Museum: http://www.museumoftolerance.com/site/c.tmL6KfNVLtH/b.4866005/k.C7BD/About_Us.htm Andersen, M., & Collins, P. H. (1995). Race, class, and gender: An anthology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Chow, E. N., Wilkinson, D., & Baca Zinn, M. (1996). Race, class, and gender: Common bonds, different voices. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication. Hampden-Turner, C., & Trompenaars, C. (2000). Building Cross Cultural Competence. How to Create Wealth from Conflicting Values. London: Yale University Press. Written Report: Field Trip to the Museum of Tolerance I visited the Museum of Tolerance, as a part of our field trip on “insert date”. My experience at the Museum was overwhelming and highly informative. Although I was aware of the tragedy and the widespread impact of the Holocaust on the Jewish people, watching it again in an environment that was specifically created and dedicated to it, added more significance to the whole trip. It allowed us to relive the moments right from the way it began to the devastation with which it ended. The images and graphical representation of the same that adorned the walls around me drove the reality and gravity of the situation, closer that I ever imagined. The museum has a unique way of personalizing the experience for the visitors that in my opinion helps in achieving its purpose. Every visitor is presented with an information card of an individual directly involved and related to the tragic event, and it is only at the end of the trip, that the mystery whether the person in the information card you were assigned, survived or not. This makes the entire trip not only informative but also thrilling, making it seem very real. The museum has done an excellent job in providing information about all types of discrimination including current events, and topics related to racial abuse, discrimination, genocide, hate crimes and even bullying. It also provided an opportunity to directly interact with real holocaust survivors who relayed their personal experiences about surviving the tough conditions in concentration camps and the experience was highly moving and educational at the same time. I was highly pleased and satisfied with the exhibits and the whole program that the museum had to offer and was able to experience a mixed range of emotions ranging from grief, empathy and distress to those of exasperation and compassion all at the same time. Each exhibit, image and graphic that the museum had to offer, was a learning experience in itself. In my opinion the museum rightly justified its name since I was able to learn the message that was being conveyed. The experience was of particular significance to me, since I had a prior experience of a similar incident of this scale. In my home country, Armenia, approximately 1.5 million people were killed during the Ottoman Empire. People were raped and beaten mercilessly and an entire race was systematically eliminated through massacres that followed (Kifner, 2014). The materials that I studied as a part of this course, proved to be highly useful during this visit since it laid the theoretical foundation for the events that unfolded eventually, during the field trip. The chapter on “Immigration and oppression: The assault on cultural and language diversity”, for instance, discussed the manner in which xenophobia that grew steadily in Europe, where the Europeans grew increasingly vary of the German migrants and that eventually resulted in the rise of nativism in the United States. The manner in which the mere assimilation of German migrants who lived together in a community and their insistence on maintaining their cultural heritage, alarmed the Europeans indicates the irrational fear of the ‘unknown’ that human beings are highly prone to. It is this fear of the unknown that causes feelings of insecurity and fear, pushing people to take extreme measures in self-defense, despite there being no apparent or real threat to their lives or property (Koppelman & Goodhart, 2014). My experience during the field trip, made me realize how fatal indifference can be. I learnt that mere knowledge and awareness about such issues of discrimination and racial prejudices is not enough to combat the issues that surround us. In order to make a positive difference it is highly imperative to be sympathetic to the sufferings of those around us and make a conscious effort in knowing about other cultures and their social backgrounds before making any judgments about them. Lack of awareness causes and fuels irrational fear of those whom we are unfamiliar with, and although it is only a natural human response, it is one that is highly fatal and may cause widespread disruption, social chaos, and irrevocably harm the lives of those around us. This field trip significantly changed my perception toward the very concept of cultural diversity. Prior to this visit I believed that it was enough to live in harmony with those around me but was unaware of the fact that I need to make a conscious effort in eliminating any bias that people may harbor against me or the people of my race / ethnicity. I realized and experienced first hand, the manner in which xenophobia can drive people to take extreme steps and that simple gestures such as participating in cross-cultural activities, charity programs, or volunteering can go a long way in eliminating racial bias and false perceptions. I shall definitely recommend this museum to others and help them in spreading the word, since for me it has been a life changing experience, and strongly believe that positive experiences such as these can help in brining diverse communities together like never before. Works Cited Koppelman, K., & Goodhart, L. (2014). Understanding human differences:Multicultural education for a diverse America (4th ed.). Allyn & Bacon. Kifner, J. (n.d.). Armenian genocide of 1915: An overview. Retrieved 11 29, 2014, from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/timestopics/topics_armeniangenocide.html Read More