Walk through one of the following scenarios. For each choice you make, discuss the identification and languaging strategies at work.
Play [[Students]]
Play [[Instructors]]
You are a part of the Minority Graduate Student Support Network on your campus. One of this year's initiatives is to have a space on campus designated as a minority student study area. The initiative is in response to campus climate surveys that showed students from underrepresented communities felt a lack of academic support, and a lack of safe spaces throughout campus.
Your team needs to get the word out about what you are trying to do before the official proposal. You decide to:
[[Host Planning Parties]]
[[Create buttons for students to wear]]
You are the faculty sponsor(s) for the Minority Graduate Student Support Network (MGSSN). As the students begin the initiative for a MGSSN study space, you want to make sure there is faculty awareness and support. You start by...
Organizing a informational [[reception]]
Sending out an informational [[email]]
You team decides to host a series of planning [[parties|Group Activities]], open to all graduate students. Students can come and add suggestions for the space, hear the reasoning behind the initiative, and eat pizza.
Discussion: What is the benefit of using this identification strategy? Drawbacks?
Your team [[continues|next G1]] with planning....
One of your teammates designs "Safe Spaces for All" [[buttons|Appearance]]. Your team gives them away in the student union. As people come up to take a pin, you explain the initiative.
Discussion: This is a quick identification strategy, but in what ways could this backfire? Is there a languaging tactic that you see here? Is there one that could be added to make this a more effective strategy?
Your team [[continues|next G1A]] planning...
"When people become involved with groups or participate in group actions, they may become more tolerant, if not sympathetic, of the views of other persuaders or groups. Individuals who are separated by loyalties to competeing groups...may unite around a single cause" (pg. 145).
As the study space idea gains momentum across campus, you begin to notice pushback. There have been negative comment left on Facebook and Yik Yak, as well as vandalism outside of the Student Services Center. Your team decides to address the student body...
...through a [[poster]] campaign
...through a [[YouTube]] series
Your team designs a set of memes to turn into poster. The posters feature various [[Avengers|Values through Heroes]], with anti-racist, anti-homophobic, and anti-sexist messages. One example: a shot of Captain America with the text "Be the man Steve Rogers knew you could be. Say no to racism. Support the MGSSN."
Discussion: How do the concepts of polarization and power come into play by using this strategy?
Your team [[continues|next 2G1]]
Your group creates a series of YouTube videos featuring grad students from various underrepresented groups. In the videos, they [[share|Storytelling]] their experiences and share why they think the study space is needed.
Discussion: YouTube can be a powerful platform for social justice. How does this technology change this languaging strategy?
You team [[continues|contG1]] planning...
Appealing to someone (hero or founder) who embodies the values you're trying to portray. Literally a hero in this example...
The pushback doesn't stop - in fact, it becomes more frequent, and more aggressive. The week before your team's proposal is due, someone writes a post on a popular university-specific blog. In it, they state that the [[real reason]] minority students want a space to themselves is because they don't have the credentials to be admitted, and want extra help without white students noticing.
Discussion: This is a specific method of counter-persuasion, but it works on multiple levels. What other forms of counter-persuasion do you see here, and how would you combat them [[moving forward|Final ]]
Challenging the motives of a movement. "What are you really trying to do?"
Final Questions for Your Team to Discuss with the Class:
If you could [[play again|Start]], would you choose make different choices?
If yes, why? Where you do you think you could've made a more effective choice?
If no, how do you think your team could tweak the choice you made to make the situation better? Were there languaing and/or identification strategies not listed that you think would have been more appropriate? Why?
Could any of the choices you made be considered Slacktivism? If so, do you see any of the same benefits as were mentioned in the Slacktivism article? Any new benefits?
Which (if any) of these options employed the rhetoric of polarization? Do you think these instances were examples of polarization being effective? Do you think polarization is ever effective, or is it harmful in the long term?
Why do you think the counter-persuasion and coercive persusion strategies are so hard to combat? Is there a way to plan ahead for these?
Collective identity through narratives.
Your YouTube series is incredibly popular - so much so that other schools have begun to notice, and make their own. Buzzfeed features these videos, drawing national attention. Unfortunately, this is when your university's administration notices. They tell you that you musst remove the videos, citing a university [[policy|policies]] that states official student groups cannot produce media that could negatively affect the campus community, classroom instruction, or university recruitment initiatives.
Would you consider this a case of counter-persuasion (which tactic?), or coercive persuasion (which strategy?)? What languaging and/or identification methods would you use to combat this [[moving forward|Final ]]
Dressing in the same way as the group you are aligned with. May include full outfits or accessories.
Although many people take buttons, over the next few weeks you notice that not many people are wearing them. You ask a few people you know about whether or not they have worn their buttons, and most say that they lost it or forgot about it. Your team decides to plan an event that will make a more lasting impact on campus.
You organize a [[sit in]].
You organize a [[Twitter campaign]]
Restrictive legislation & policies - making change difficult from an institutional level. Restricting the ways agents of change can opperate.
Your team, and other members of the MGSSN, stage a [[sit in|Symbolic]] in one of the library's study rooms. Not only does this reinforce the ultimate goal, it's also a highly traveled area, making it nearly impossible for people to miss you.
Discussion: For students wishing to engage in on-campus activism, what other nonverbal/symbolic tactics could they employ? Do you think this one has the potential to be invitational?
The university's President release a [[statement|next 2G1A]]
Your team launches a Twitter campaign to raise awareness for your study space initiative. Each day, your account features a statistic about minority students on your campus, a fun fact about alumni who were a part of the MGSSN, and a reminder to support the study space initiative.
Discussion: How could this technology be used as a form of invitational rhetoric? Do you see it as polarization in the current example? Do you think you would run into the accusation of Slacktivism?
The next week, you notice more mentions on the group's Twitter. You realize that another group has been [[formed|next 2G1B]]
"At the heart of the notion of identification...is the idea that symbols unite people" (pg. 148).
Symbolic acts can be visual - logos - or action-based - sit ins.
The statement reads: Dear University Family,
We will not stand idly by and let the attention-seeking actions of a few undermine our wonderful campus community. While this university is not perfect - no school is - I believe we go far in making our campus a welcoming place. The students involved have their hearts in the right place, and I'm sure they meant no disrespect to the campus. However, there are better ways of going about making productive change on campus. If leaders in their group would like to meet and discuss their grievances, I will personally make time for them. The only way to move forward is through unity, not antagonization.
Discussion: Which strategy of counter-persuasion do you think this is? Do you think there would be a way to avoid this happening, if you went back and used the same languaging strategy in a different way? How would your team address this [[moving forward|Final ]]?
The Campus Greatness Daily [[account|Surrogates]] is taking all of your tweets and telling the "true" story on campus. They've also made a point of highlighting notable/famous alumni who were not part of marginalized groups, with the hashtag #WeAllPlayAGreatPart.
Discussion: What sort of counter-persuasion is this? Do you see a coercive persuasion tactic at work as well? What sort of languaging and identification strategies would be most effective for your group [[moving forward|Final ]]?
You, along with the graduate student members of the MGSSN, host two receptions. One is for faculty, and one is for administration. For each reception, you introduce the initiative in a way [[each group|Adaptation]] can understand. You also have students share their experiences, and allow for a question and answer session.
Discussion: Besides the identification strategy already defined here, do you see any others at play? Which languaging strategy is used, and do you think it's effective for this situation. Why or why not?
You [[continue|step 2]] to support the team as they plan....
You send a detailed email out to faculty and staff, explaining the initiative and [[citing|Links]] other initiatives in the past that have been similar to this, and successful.
Discussion: How might this identification strategy be taken as an example of polarization? How might it work as invitational rhetoric?
You [[continue|Step2A]] to support the students as the initiative gains momentum.
Of Language: using the style/tone/vocab that the audience will identify with the most.
Of content: Theme/purpose might be the same, but examples/content will be specific to what the audience relates to.
Other faculty are interested in the project. Many would like to know how they can help create a safe environment for all students in their own classrooms. Some also want to help with the study space initiative itself.
You host a [[workshop]] on microaggressions
You organize a faculty [[petition]]
You figure you can both advertise for the MGSSN and educate all at once. You host a [[workshop|Group Activities]] on microaggressions with the help of some MGSSN members. Overall, it seems to go well.
Discussion: There could be a few different identification strategies and languaging tactics at play here. Which ones would you choose specifically in this situation, and why do you think those would be effective in this context?
However there were a [[few people|last step A]] from your department who seemed to be there out of obligation rather than genuine interest.
You decide to focus on supporting the initiative for the time being. You put together a [[formal|Adaptation]] petition for faculty to express their support.
Discussion: Why would this identification strategy work? What the most effective choice in languaging strategies be, if you wanted to incorporate one (or more) into the petition?
The petition gains support, and you send one copy in with the official proposal, and one copy directly to the President. He requests a [[meeting|last step B]] with you.
Over the next few days, you are met with sarcastic, and sometimes hostile, [[comments|Ridicule]] from your colleagues.
"So you think you're going to save the world, huh?"
"All this is doing is creating more wussified kids who can't handle any sort of real world problems."
"There's always going to be racism. We need to teach how to deal with it, not how to turn everything into a safe space."
Discussion: What languaging tactic is at work here? What identification and languaging tactics would you use [[moving forward|Final ]] with your colleagues?
During the meeting, the President commends the efforts of the MGSSN, but asks if all this "fuss" is necessary. He proposes that instead of designating a specific safe space, he will block off hour long periods in the tutoring center for "your kids".
Discussion: How do language and power interact/intersect in this scenario? What sort of adjustment strategy is taking place here? How would you and your students push back? What would you use in terms of languaging and identification strategies [[moving forward|Final ]]?
Creating links to other movements - building your ethos in connection with another's.
After the email is sent out, you gain more faculty support. Since the idea seem to be rather popular, your team....
Requests a meeting with the [[President]]
Hosts faculty planning meetings for people who want to [[get involved]]
Use of surrogates - challenging social movements through the creation or support of competing ones.
The President of the university agrees to host a meeting. Days go by, and you don't hear anything back. Emails requesting further details go unanswered. Finally, you hear from a friend in the building that the meeting took place already. However, it was between the President and other administration. When you ask around, it seems that none of the MGSSN members [[were present|Invisibility]].
Discussion: Which evasion strategy just took place, and what languaging and/or identification strategy would be best to address it? How would you support your students [[moving forward|Final ]]?
You host one meeting per month for faculty who are interested in helping out. By the third meeting, you've noticed that one colleage has made every meeting, but has contributed nothing and seems to thoroughly hate the ideas being put forward. You pull them aside after the meeting, and find out that the Dean of Students asked them to come to these meetings, and [[take notes|Infiltration]] on what was discussed.
Discussion: What languaging tactic would you use to combat this type of coercive persuasion? How would you support your students [[moving forward|Final ]]
Infiltration - getting one of "them" into spaces where "we" are working. Sometimes this is done to gather information, sometimes it's done to undermine the group, etc.
Hard to counter attack; works on may levels:
Ridiculing inconsistencies, ideas, the opposition itself
Can be done in many ways, such as not being consulted/represented when the institution is "handling" your issue, restricing meeting spaces, and good old fashioned avoidance.