Pangaea Project brings social change to schools in India through raising awareness, self-introspection, and creating projects to abolish marginalization. Tackling the root of the problem by students examining their role in society is a radical yet probable way of approaching discrimination in India. When students can take ownership over the problems in the world, they will be mobilized to implement innovative solutions! Pangaea Projects provides a space for this transformation to occur and supports students in their personal growth to change society.

Problem

Marginalization and discrimination prevent equality from ever being a reality. I recently surveyed 80 Indian students who came from affluent, privileged backgrounds in the Indian society through a fellowship at the US based Orbis Institute, which placed me in Bhubaneswar, India. They expressed that India faces many social problems, including untouchability, caste discrimination, and religious intolerance. However, when students were asked how these issues could be solved, they removed all personal responsibility, blamed the government, and said they were clueless as to how they could be part of the solution. These 80 students, and many more, need a way to learn about their role in solving issues in India.

Solution

Students in India will be future leaders and change-makers in their society. My solution is challenging the Indian status quo by incorporating an educational initiative, Pangaea Project, in which students can engage in dialogue-style learning about their prejudices about caste, class, gender, religion, and age through learning about the mechanisms driving global issues like poverty, health, environmental issues, and equality. This solution focuses on four key areas. It (1) Raises awareness about pressing social issues through videos, speaker panels, and activities (2) Makes students examine their self identity, biases and personal relation to the issues (3) Provides tangible skills to increase communication with and develop empathy for those in marginalized groups (4) Gives students a platform to take action utilizing their relative privilege in society to implement change. Students will change the status quo and combat marginalization in their communities.

Exemple

Changing oneself must happen before changing society. Critical thinking about empathy is not encouraged in Indian classrooms, or in a culture where they are taught to take pride in the status one is born into. Transforming perceptions of privileged youth leads to changes within systems in Indian society that are rarely challenged. During my Orbis 2011 Fellowship I had the chance to pilot this model in KiiT International School in Bhubaneswar, India. Students from KiiT examined their privileges in society and not only learned their role in solving problems like untouchability, they felt empowered and motivated to do something about it! These students from the uppercrust of society defied social norms and worked collaboratively with students from the “untouchable” caste at KISS Tribal School. These two groups of students who would normally never interact, became good friends. Many still talk to this day. Moreover, the students gained a fresh, new understanding about “untouchables” that they never imagined. This new understanding and empathy for marginalized groups will carry into the leadership positions students will hold in the future. People from affluent backgrounds are born into power, and that power can be used to become allies to those who are oppressed.

Marché

There are peers doing peace building activities in other various parts of the world, however, there is no formal institution in place that brings empathy development straight to classrooms in India with the intention of reducing marginalization in society. There are programs in schools, such as the International Baccalaureate, which require students to participate in activities focused on Creativity, Action, and Service. We could develop partnerships with IB, however, schools may find that they already build in service in their curriculums with IB and will not endorse a new type of class in their school.