Fishbowl Exercise on Discrimination at Work
Reflecting on Experiences with Gender and Power Exercises
- Objective: To openly explore, articulate and analyze personal feelings about social issues.
- Materials/Preparation: —
- Participants: This exercise has been done with CARE staff. The Social Analysis and Action Toolkit recommends a group of 10-15 for this exercise.
Steps
Participants form a “fishbowl” by arranging two circles of chairs, one within the other. The inner circle comprises of 4 or 5 people who are willing to share their personal experiences while the other participants formed the outer circle.
For this exercise, those in the inner circle discuss the given theme – such as facing discrimination – and share their experiences with one another, while those in the outer circle observed the conversation.
After the discussion, the facilitator asks those in the outer circle to share their observations and reflections. Themes touched upon sources of social inequality, ways that inequality takes place and its affects, as well as ways to combat social inequality. The objective is to have a very honest discussion about what it means to be socially excluded.
To conclude the discussion, facilitators thank participants and ask personal reflection questions, like:
- In what way has this exercise affected you?
- What have you learned as a result of this exercise?
- What will you do differently as a result of this exercise?
Related Tools
View more tools related to:
Resources
- CARE (2007). Ideas and Action: Addressing the Social Factors that Influence Sexual and Reproductive Health.