Sometimes it is difficult to make space for marginalized viewpoints during a discussion, and relying on students to represent their entire culture places unfair burdens on them. This discussion technique can help solve that problem.
If anyone in the discussion feels that a particular point of view isn’t being addressed or taken seriously, they can call for this five-minute exercise to be used.
The group then takes five minutes to consider the issue at hand from that particular viewpoint. Everyone really tries to adopt that perspective and support it, without any criticism. Only those speaking in support of the viewpoint can speak during these five minutes, and anyone else must remain silent.
Questions and prompts:
- What is interesting or helpful about this viewpoint? What value or insight does it add?
- What unique ideas might we miss without this perspective?
- What would be different if we truly believed this perspective? How would our thinking, actions, or systems be different? How would our worldview change?
- Under what conditions might this view be true or most valuable?
This approach comes from Start Talking: A Handbook for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education, pp. 109-116.