WHO IS AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF?

AWESOME STORIES FOR CURIOUS AND

COURAGEOUS

www.mocneprice.com

Overview

Program Storytelling for Peace, Gender Partnership and

Cultural Pluralism and
Book Who Is Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf? Awesome Stories for
the Courageous and Curious
Summary:
Deconstruction of gender and cultural stereotypes in
folk tales
Reconstruction of stories which reflect values of a
democratic and inclusive peace culture
From violent to nonviolent conflict resolution
Envisioning social inclusion of marginalised groups
Practical strategies for stimulating dialogical approach
and critical literacy when working with students

Rationale and context

Storytelling
Is a powerful, flexible, accessible and inexpensive method
which, if done constructively, can be utilised for peace
building (Neile, 2010, McKee, 2008, Senehi 2002, Tanaka,
2005).
It is especially a powerful method when working with youth
because of universal human receptiveness to stories but
also because storytelling is typically a more indirect and
respectful rather than prescriptive and didactic method of
teaching (ibid.).
Active participation of youth in the process of creating new
stories, of a new mythology needed for a peace oriented
society, cultivates critical literacy, helps negotiate identities
and construct meanings. It also promotes further
understanding of the interaction between social structure
and human agency and the role of power in making of
knowledge.

Not all storytelling the same

Destructive storytelling associated with coercive
power, exclusionary practices, a lack of mutual
recognition, dishonesty, and a lack of awareness
(Senehi, 2010).
Constructive storytelling inclusive, fosters
shared power and mutual recognition, creates
opportunities for openness, dialogue, and insight,
brings issues to consciousness, can be a means of
resistance and an important means for
establishing a culture of peace and justice (ibid.).

Destructive storytelling
As is the case with many traditional European tales, significant part
of Serbian mythology as expressed in folklore, stories, songs,
national epics, proverbs and fairy tales, portrays humans as bad,
cruel, violent and selfish (Eisler, 2000). Fairy tales and traditional
myths in Serbian context are also full of cruelty, trickery and
violence (ibid.), including violence against women, children and
those that are deemed different, which is in contradiction to the
other messages parents and students communicate to children,
specifically, to be good and kind, non-violent and giving (Eisler,
2000). Addressing this contradiction, especially in the context of
post-conflict society such as Serbia is crucial for fostering peace
oriented, ethical and caring relations as well as democracy rather
than authoritarianism and violence.

From deconstruction to reconstruction

As teachers of writing, we cannot ignore racist, sexist, or
violent content in texts.
Just letting students read and write is insufficient. They
need to become, among other things, critical text users,
sensitive to the types of meanings and values in texts,
aware of stereotypes and discourses operating in texts. We
want our students to compose texts that are not sexist or
violent.
Emmitt, M. et al (2006) Language and Learning: An Introduction for
Teaching, p. 214-215

Deconstruction in Who is Afraid of

the Big Bad Wolf :
Gender roles
Conflict resolution
Ethnic and cultural stereotypes
Themes in European and Serbian tales,
commentary and analysis considering
contemporary society and global and local
culture (including contemporary retelling of
stories in written text as well as in film)

Passive young women

Housewives

Beauty cult

Older women are connected to evil

The same thing with a bit of difference

Questioning gender stereotypes

but not violence: Women warriors

Princes as heroes and saviors

Traditional Serbian folk tales

The Girl on the Kosovo battlefield

Serbian folk tales: common themes

Passive woman who is either
a mother or a nurse: Mother
of Nine Jugovi princes;
Mother of Prince Marko; The
Girl from Kosovo
Evil women: Cursed princess
Jerina
Violence against women: i.e.
Nemuti Jezik story
Nameless women

Violence in stories

Reconstruction
Possible strategies:
1. Using new and contemporary
stories. Removing from curriculum
stories which promote violence,
gender and cultural stereotypes.
2. Retelling of the traditional, widely
known stories.

Advantages of the second approach

(retelling of familiar stories)
1. Implicit critique of less desirable way of behaving and
communicating.
2. Explicit description of desired ways of behaving and
communicating. Educating about available
alternatives.
3. Promotion of critical literacy amongst children (i.e.
how to make informed choice between alternative
ways of behaving and communicating with others).
4. Promotion of dialogue.
5. Inspiring creativity children
writing their own stories.

Reconstruction in the project

Storytelling for Peace, Gender Partnership and

Cultural Pluralism
Who is Afraid of the Big,
Bad Wolf? Awesome
stories for courageous
and curious.
Education promoting
gender equality,
multiculturalism and
nonviolent conflict
resolution, through
stories, dialogue and
specific activities
designed for children.

New stories for different presents

and futures
Removal of stereotypes
New gender roles, positive gender models
Contemporary subjects/problems: divorce,
violence in schools, ecological damage
Critical reading of traditional stories followed by
creating of different versions of stories, inspiring
creativity
Peace education, opposing discrimination and
violence, encouraging dialogue
Development of environmental education

Stories from Whos Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf

Peaceful Wonderland
Peace instead of violence, cooperation, practical conflict
resolution strategies.

Cinderella's Alchemy
Deconstruction: passivity, violence, poverty, punishment.
Reconstruction: entrepreneurship, ecology, cooperation,
positive role models, gender partnership, forgiveness.

One Little Princess (poem)

Deconstruction: gender and ethnic discrimination and
marginalization.
Reconstruction: supporting differences, developing
resilience.

Freedoms Building of Skadar

Deconstruction: violence against women, victimization of
women, disloyalty and dishonesty.
Reconstruction: political and economic power, power through
education, supportive family relationships, women
entrepreneurs.

Red Riding Hood and the Castle of Wolves

Deconstruction: passivity, naivety, violence.
Reconstruction: freeing from trafficking,
resistance, cooperation, environmental education.

The Girl from Kosovo and Kadira from Smyrna

Deconstruction: ethnic conflict, violent conflict resolution.
Reconstruction: peace movement, cooperation among women
and ethnic communities.

Thank you!
More information:
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www.mocneprice.com/aboutstoriesproject.html