Found this via Fark. First the hardware-tool library and now this.
Library offers imam, gypsy, gay person for 'loan'. 17/08/2005. ABC News Online:
"If you think all lesbians are sexually frustrated or all animal rights activists aggressive, then a Swedish library project that allows you to 'borrow' a real live human being may provide some useful insight.
Ulla Brohed, of the Malmoe Library in southern Sweden, says the Living Library project will enable people to come face-to-face with their prejudices in the hopes of altering their preconceived notions.
'You sometimes hear people's prejudices and you realise that they are just uninformed,' she said.
Nine people, including a homosexual, an imam, a journalist, a Muslim woman and a gypsy, will be available at the Malmoe Library for members of the public to 'borrow' for a 45-minute conversation in the library's outdoor cafe.
'Maybe not all journalists are know-it-all and sensationalist, just unafraid and curious,' Ms Brohed said.
'Maybe not all animal rights activists are angry and intolerant but intelligent and committed.'
Mr Brohed says the nine 'items' on loan were not hard to find but admits that they will be paid 'a small sum' for their efforts.
If the experiment is a success, the Malmoe Library may repeat it later this year."
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
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2 comments:
How FREAKIN' cool is this?! Awesome. At Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK they used to run a program where participants would be matched with one another based in diverse ethnic backgrounds. These 2 person teams would then spend a week with each other, going to one another's apartment/house, classes, social events, the whole nine yards. The point or goal being that if you spent time with someone of a different ethnic background some of the sterotypes and/or misconceptions could be broken down. Interesting. Thanks for posting as always!
no problem jason glad you enjoyed it and I am truly glad to see it's not that "novel" of an idea to break down stereotypes. ;-)
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