School Project - Role switch in asylum procedure

The key goal of the project is to decrease prejudices and racism in schools. Within a didactic concept, the students slip into the role of refugees. In a staged asylum process they will experience discrimination, language barriers and bureaucracy. Refugees will adopt the roles of the officials.

Innovative didactic concepts should be implemented in schools to react to the newest political and social developments in Germany. The increasing power and appearance of the right-wing extremism is a danger to a peaceful coexistence of a diverse society.

The role play is based on the sociocritical art project „Das System ist kriminell, der Staat zum Feind des Menschen geworden!“ (The system is criminal, the state turned into the enemy of the people.) of Infra Beuys. The artistical enactment of Paul Huf and Lars Mentrup took place in Munich last year in december. In consequence of their great success, the art project will be embedded in a didactic concept and performed in a school in Bavaria, Germany, on the 2nd of October this year. Students at the age of 13 to 15 will go through a bureaucracy labyrinth in the role of refugees. In order to increase their ability of perspective change and empathy, they will have to fill out forms, answer questions and feel increasingly uncomfortable.

Evaluation and publication of the outcomes

The success of the role play will be evaluated through an empirical study. Through questionnaires and the analysis of text production on the base of literature-scientific methods, the increase of empathy and perspective change will be detected. The outcomes will be stated in a master thesis and will be published in spring 2018.

The project "Role switch in asylum procedure" is an innovative teaching method to reduce racism and prejudices in schools.
To help students feel more empathetic towards minorities and to change their general perspective, they will be familiarized with the difficulties in the life of refugees.

The role play is scientifically grounded and embedded in a didactic concept. Tested and evaluated, the role play and the scientifically outcomes build a foundation to future teaching methods and research questions.

• The project is a method to fight the arising right-wing extremism.
• Through their engagement in the role play, refugees will be creatively encouraged and can share their experience.
• Tested and evaluated, the role play and the scientifically outcomes build a foundation to future teaching methods and research questions.

For a thoroughly arranged role play and the realization of the school project, the following expenses occur:

• Costs of materials to build authentic premises for the asylum procedure, like: Camera and light constructions, costumes
• Training of the refugees in their role as officials through the artists Paul Huf and Lars Mentrup
• Payment of the actors and artists.