Discrimination, exclusion, racism, and anti-democratic populism are things we see almost every day on the street, on the train, at work, or at university. Everyone knows situations in which people are insulted with crude slogans and exclusionary, discriminatory remarks because of their appearance. The driver is called a “damned foreigner,” the neighbor gets upset about the “parasitic and criminal scum,” and the buddy complains that “those at the top” are only lining their own pockets anyway. And who hasn't experienced how difficult it can be to counter such “slogans”? This “argumentation training against pub slogans,” originally developed by Klaus-Peter Hufer, is designed to help people cope better in such situations and encourage them to stand up for tolerance and a democratic culture in their interactions with one another. The argumentation training also provides knowledge for counterarguments, sensible behaviors, and rhetorical counterstrategies that show ways to respond courageously to inhumane slogans. The training highlights the political dimension of pub slogans and their connection to them and right-wing extremism.

Benefit:

The aim of the three-hour workshop is to recognize the characteristics and functions of populist slogans and to understand that pub slogans shifts  the discourse in the political climate and poses a threat to democratic culture. Participants increase their own confidence in dealing with populist statements, thereby strengthening their democratic stance in terms of allyship and self-empowerment.

Contents: 

• What are slogans and what defines them?
• Group dynamics in discriminatory settings
• Role-playing games to reinforce your own strategies
• Allyship and being personally affected
• The connection between right-wing populism and shifts in discourse due to slogans (including the pyramid of violence)

Language: German

Target group: Employees of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and RMU partner universities

Further information and registration: here