Key Questions

From Peacebuilding

Contents 1 Content Processing Activity: Key Questions 2 Aims: 3 Time: 4 Participants: 5 Materials: 6 Procedure: 7 Example:

Content Processing Activity: Key Questions

Aims:

• To explore participants’ ideas on the topic of a presentation before the content is introduced

• To introduce new content through dialogue

Time:

20 minutes, depending on the content being processed

Participants:

At least 5-6 people, although it can be difficult with more than 25-30 participants

Materials:

• Flip chart paper

• Markers

• A list of key questions prepared in advance by the facilitator

Procedure:

I) Before the workshop, read and familiarise yourself with the content you wish to introduce. Break the content down into two or more parts if necessary, to be introduced at various times during the workshop.

II) Prepare a list of key questions on the content. If you’ve divided the content into parts, prepare a list of questions for each part. These questions should help in exploring participants’ ideas and beliefs on the content you’d like to introduce. There are no rights or wrongs: your questions shouldn’t be designed to check the participants’ knowledge of the topic. Open questions are advisable.

III) During the workshop, state that you’re going to facilitate a discussion on a specific topic by asking questions. Write the title of the topic on the flip chart.

IV) Start asking questions and facilitate the discussion. Whenever you think it might be useful, introduce parts of the content based on your study of it. Try to encourage dialogue and avoid lecturing the participants if you can, and let them discuss your ideas.

Example:

You want to introduce Gene Sharp’s theory of power and consent during a workshop on nonviolence. Study the paper, “The Role of Power in Nonviolent Struggle”, http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations/org/TheRoleofPowerinNonviolentStruggle-English.pdf.

On the grounds that introducing all the concepts and theories presented here at once would be too much, you decide to distribute this content over two days and at four separate times during the workshop. You divide the content into four parts. The first part is the paragraph, “Dependent Rulers” (ibid. pp. 3-5). You prepare these questions:

• Where does the power of rulers come from?

• What are the sources of power?

• What does authority have to do with power?

• What are the psychological and ideological factors that generate obedience in a population?

• How important are sanctions in maintaining political power?

• To what extent is the power of rulers dependant on the obedience and cooperation of the governed?

• What happens when the governed withdraw consent and cooperation?

You lead the discussion with these questions and introduce pieces of content from Sharp’s paper when appropriate. You follow the same procedure for the other parts of content.