Exploring
arts-based ways to work with at-risk youth
As my 40% major assignment for a university course, I
organized an arts-based project. The next few pages provide a summary of the
event. Since this was an event, no tangible “artistic product” was produced. To
make up for this lacking, I will be attaching appendices to the three page
summary that attempt to provide as many details as is possible on the event,
including on the process of putting together the event, hosting the event, the
post-event debrief that has taken place to date and the actions that are
planned for the future in order to continue building on the momentum that was
created.
This
event was organized as a follow-up to the national conference that took place
back in October 2009, and as such serves to fulfill the “Stage 3”[i]
requirement of the federally-funded M-Y Canada project. Demos, a think tank
focused on power and politics, published a report titled The Edge of
Violence; upon discussions with the national project coordinator, it was
found that this report formed the basis of the M-Y Canada project description.
For this reason, this report will be consistently used as a reference point for analyzing the event’s purpose, how the event was planned and how it turned out.
A distinguishing trait of this report, as compared to other research on this
area, is that unlike other initiatives, is that “terrorists are
compared to a ‘control group’ of non-terrorists. By doing so, the research aims
to isolate patterns and traits that might help distinguish between these
phenomena.”[ii]
Breakword’s “About” page states the goal of the
event to be as follows:
Break
Word will have Spoken Word/Slam Poetry performances that aim to address topics
broadly related to social change and activism in an effort to increase civic
participation of Muslim youth in the community. This initiative transpires out
of a strong belief in the idea that effectual social change is only possible
when a forum for discussion is presented. Our project seeks to provide the
community with that forum; a platform for dialogue where controversial subjects
can be expressed through performance art in a safe space, providing Muslim
youth with an alternative way of seeking self-fulfillment.
Our
resultant goal is to engender further initiatives that will deliver tangible
solutions to problems spoken about through the poetry and to mark the inception
of thought reflective of the presented subjects. The issues we wish to address
range from politics to gender and sexuality issues, religion, social and
economic activism[iii].
A more detailed vision statement for the event can
be found on page of the appendices booklet. If one had to summarize the
two-page vision statement in one statement, it would be as follows: The aim of
this project was to explore the use of expressive arts in an attempt to heal
trauma, which, if left untreated, could lead to a radicalized ideology towards violence.
Causes
of trauma
The
underlying assumption behind the event is that Muslim youth are traumatized as
a group due to the current geo-political trends. The causes for traumatization
range from recent migration experiences (as most youth are first or second
generation immigrants), to a general feeling of us-versus-them as is promoted
by the media. A combination of the above two factors, and many other causes,
lead youth to feel marginalized[iv].
The Trauma Informed reader has a detailed list of different
causes that can lead to trauma among immigrant and refugee populations. These
causes can be equally applicable to all marginalized populations[v].
A very instrumental passage from the reader states as follows,
“Issues related to
trauma that they have already experienced can be compounded by the following
circumstances and challenges faced in the integration process:
(x) not understanding
Canadian cultural norms, (x) feeling that the host country doesn’t understand
their culture, or make any efforts to do so, (x) facing constant racism that is
deeply rooted in Canadian society (x)feeling unwelcome in Canada(x)finding
adequate employment (x)feeling isolated(x)lack of societal acceptance of
religious beliefs and practices(x)dealing with negative comments by
politicians, the media, or in private conversations that reflect negative public
opinions about immigrants and refugees”[vi].
The
DEMOS report echoes this hypothesis, “Some
scholars suggest that radicalization emerges among Muslims that fail to
integrate culturally and economically, from feelings of marginalization from
state and social structures, and from resulting real and perceived
discrimination”[vii]
Another report[viii]
emphasis the lack of research and attention that this hypothesis has received.
This report specifically outlines six intersections deserving more attention.[ix]
Therefore, the assumption is that while many Muslim youth might not have
experienced direct violence on a first-hand basis, a constant bombardment of
more salient forces over time causes implicit trauma. This phenomenon could be
very summarized in the following statement by a war veteran, “Watching others suffering over a long period
of time is a cause of PTSD.” [x]
Link between trauma and
radicalization
The
belief is that often the trauma resulting from marginalization, when left
untreated, causes radicalization towards the violent. Peckhard very will
summarizes this in the following excerpt,
Dissociative defences are commonly active in
survivors of psychological traumas (those with acute and post-traumatic stress
disorder) and in individuals who grow up under repetitively traumatic
circumstances, such as those that characterize the lives of many suicide
bombers. Dissociation - that is the disruption of the normally integrated
functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment
as well as the ability to enter and make use of a dissociative trance state –
is frequently observed in trauma survivors. Traumatized individuals, especially
those who have suffered multiple and repeat traumas particularly in childhood
have often learned to utilize this defense to detach themselves from overwhelming
horrifying, terrifying and life-threatening circumstances. This dissociative
function – that is the ability to enter into a trance state and separate
oneself from fear, dread, and grief - seems to be both a facilitator and a
commonly spoken about characteristic of those who commit acts of suicide terrorism. [xi]
She
further goes onto explain how suicide bombing, as a form of violent
radicalization, provides solution or healing to trauma.
When religion expressly forbids suicide and
the dissociative individual is able to separate himself enough from his psychic
pain to avoid suicide which is often the case with this defense – moving to
this act of human bombing is not seen by the individual as suicidal but as
sacrificial. Despite this self-perception there are parallels in choosing to
become a human bomb with that of normal suicide. The traumatized and
dissociative individual who becomes a bomber has lost his ability to see other
options of acting and is severely constricted in his responses, as his dissociative defense increasingly causes him to simply stay numb and distanced from the many
options he might otherwise see as available. This is similar to the cognitive
restriction frequently observed in normal suicides who see taking their own
lives as their only viable option for dealing with their psychic pain.... It is
in a sense a great move out of traumatic depression into action, which is
highly significant for the person who makes it. In d oing so they are taking
their last bit of psychic energy to act and by doing so expressing their own
pain and that of their community and making their enemy “other” experience and
feel their pain. [xii]
Why peer-based and community models
were thought to be effective modes of treating the afore-mentioned trauma
The
Demos report, repeatedly, stressed the importance of looking at radicalization
and terrorism as a community trend and community “ill” rather than one
individually focused. For instance, on page 12, the Demos report emphasizes the
importance of looking at peer-groups. “The
spread and acceptance of radical or violent ideas can be helpfully conceived as
a social epidemic, because whether an individual comes to accept such ideas
depends on how far their peers do and the extent to which they are seen as
worthy of imitation.”[xiii]
It continues on this note and emphasizes the instrumental role that not only
peer groups but the entire community has “The
current threat of terrorism and radicalisation can be broadly gauged by three
indicators: the size of the terrorist threat and the prominence of a country in
the al-Qaeda narrative; the size and activity of radical or ultra-orthodox
groups; and the degree of community support.”[xiv] A completely disconnected
author and ex-CIA agent echoes this very hypothesis, “What I’ve learned is that anybody can become a terrorist. The
way we look at terrorists is wrong. We usually look at them as if they
were some kind of stable personality flaw that makes them become terrorists
whereas it’s really a group phenomenon. It’s group dynamics.” (Sageman,
interview, 28 Dec. 2009) Given the overwhelming influence that peers and the
larger community has on those most susceptible to radicalization towards the
violent, it only makes sense to engage the host communities and use them as
leverage in this battle of ideologies. The demos report shares the anecdotal
experience, echoing this very suggestion, “However,
for some people considering violence – either in a cell or not – the
credibility and status attached to violent activity motivated them to vocalise
their activities and beliefs: there was talk, and it was picked up and argued
over at the community level. This puts a high premium on community
intelligence. Indeed, there was a strong sense that Muslim communities were
undertaking self-policing within their own communities.”[xv]
Peckhard, in her report to the US
Department of Justice, suggests that a psychosocial approach to treating
trauma-induced radicalization may be a better alternative to currently utilized
methods,
The psychosocial
perspective places considerable focus on community and family strengths and
resources and offers a platform to build upon them ... Why is a psychosocial
approach so unique in the context of efforts aimed at preventing
radicalization? Where counterterrorism researchers have often focused on
understanding why some people become or stop being terrorists, and identifying
the risks factors, a psychosocial approach to prevention would focus on
systematically influencing family and community protective resources in real world
community settings so as to enhance resistance to recruitment and
radicalization in the first instance.[xvi]
The
Demos report, while very distinct in its institutional funding and backing
validates Peckhard`s suggestion, “Multi-component programmes that combine
heightened policing and harsher judicial punishments with opportunities for a
way out of gang life have demonstrated long-term success, especially when
accompanied by all-community involvement from the police, social support
services, charities, youth groups, local churches, parents’ organisations,
rehabilitation centres and schools.”[xvii].
It was because of all this evidence that it was thought that a peer-based
community model may be the best way to address radicalization due to trauma[xviii].
How do we defend our decision to
undertake this event as part of the M-Y Canada project
A significant portion of
this event description was derived out of its association with Muslim-Youth
Canada. This project, which is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, has
a two-dimensional goal: “a) Strengthen their Canadian Muslim
identity (inclusive of multiple identities) and b) Increase their participation
in the civic life of their local communities.”[xix]
Therefore, the assumption behind BreakWord was that (a) communication about
identity issues and (b) to increase civic engagement can help to decrease the
tendency towards violent radicalization. In regards to the first assumption,
the Demos report states that in their sample, “Terrorists, radicals
and young Muslims had all experienced some degree of societal exclusion, had a
distrust of government, a hatred for foreign policy, many felt a disconnection
from their local community, and many have had an identity crisis of sorts”[xx]. It
goes onto state that “However, radicals, as well as many young
Muslims, shared the exploration of one’s identity … the majority of radicals
emphasised the struggle in reconciling their Islamic heritage with the
mainstream society they live in”[xxi]
Therefore, it is proposed that while all are likely to face an identity crisis,
sometimes the defining line between a radical and a terrorist was their ability
and/or success (or lack of it) in reconciling the numerous and often
dichotomous pushes and pulls that they face in midst of identity formation. For
this reason, it was believed that organizing an event that specifically focused
on discussion of such issues could be a first-step in healing of traumatized
populations.
Similarly, the assumption forming
the basis of the second goal, “Increase
their participation in the civic life of their local communities” was that civic engagement allowed
for divergent opinions and therefore, accepted radicalization but prevented
violent tendencies towards terrorism. This belief is well stated in the
following excerpt from the Demos report.
“While all
groups shared frustrations, terrorists often refused to engage in the political
process or even peaceful protest. Conversely, many radicals channelled their
energy through community or political work. Radicals were more likely to have
been involved in political protest — well over a third compared with under a
quarter of terrorists. For example one radical volunteered at a local
correctional facility, counselling inmates47 and another travelled to
Afghanistan to set up various community programmes, to ‘contribute in the way
that I can’.48 One even went to Iraq to repel the coalition forces’ shock and
awe offensive in 2003 as a human shield”[xxii]
We concluded that since a significant
differentiating factor between radicals and terrorists was their interest (or
lack of) in civic engagement, consequently our event goal or vision should
include or promote civic engagement.
How the piece contributes to the field of trauma healing and why the
medium is important
The
preceding section (objectives of project) presents rationalization for the
event. As such, it is believed that the question of why the medium is important
has already been covered. Consequently, this section will focus on highlighting
the contributions made by BreakWord to the field of trauma healing.
(a)
The
trauma-informed reader, while discussing the importance of grounding healing in
the experience of the traumatized, noted “It is the survivors’ interpretation
of the trauma that is important and helps us understand both the impact of the
trauma now and how we can be helpful.”[xxiii]
This event follows this suggestion to the T by virtue of its design – the
“traumatized” were invited to perform and then it was these very individuals
and their peers who served as the audience, who chose the direction of the
conversations. Therefore, the entire experience was based on understanding the
perception of the traumatized.
(b)
The
Demos report noted that women were an under-utilized ally in the fight against
radicalization, and consequently, their roles as possible adversaries were
consistently ignored “A recent report
suggests that Muslim women are an undervalued group within counter-terrorism.
Many have the knowledge and skills to communicate and work with the most
marginalised members of communities, and may be able to connect with women who
are already supporters or potential perpetrators of extremist violence —
something that was prominent in at least two of the cells studied.”[xxiv]
As such, it was especially important to realize that the three lead organizers
of this event were all headscarf-wearing women. By virtue of having women in
visible leadership positions, the amount of participation by other women, both
in the form of performers and as audience, was noted to be significantly more
than normal levels of participation within religious settings. This trend was
noted in the evaluation forms as well, as can be seen in item # 26 of the
appendices booklet.
(c)
The
Demos report claimed that "Radicals
refused to defend violent jihad in the West as religiously obligatory,
acceptable or permitted..... However, there was widespread support among
radicals and young Muslims for Iraqi and Afghan people ‘defending themselves’
from ‘invaders’ framed in the language of self-defence, just war and state
sovereignty."[xxv]
Initially, I found this claim to be untrue. However, upon analysing the
performed pieces in greater detail[xxvi]
such a pattern was witnessed. While, the event description clearly invited
presentation to discuss issues that “range
from politics to gender and sexuality issues, religion, social and economic
activism”[xxvii].
Only two of the nine performers in fact replicated this trend. However,
majority of the performers[xxviii]
instead questioned the injustice of the justice system locally and many spoke
about the issues plaguing the Muslim community. While all of the performers
could just justifiably be described as “radicals”, the fact that a mere 20% of
them exhibited the trend hypothesized by the Demos report, at most proves its
invalidity and at the least poses a request for more proof.
(d)
The
structure of the event, one that required performance of spoken word pieces and
allowed for a discussion space after was a direct application of the theory of
expressive arts therapy. It is absolutely obvious upon reviewing the nine
pieces[xxix]
that very intense reflection preceded the performances and many conversations
undoubtedly followed the event. The other two lead organizers very well
summarized the contribution of the event in their post-event email interviews:
“People in the community grew very
excited with anticipation before the show/forum, and were intrigued with the
idea that it leveraged art as a social/political tool for discussing activism.
After the event, individuals stated that it was a positive experience for them.
The organizing team was also encouraged us to repeat it in the coming years.”
(Ayman Nadeem, personal interview, Dec 8, 2010)
(e)
While completing my poster presentation on this
initiative, I started looking for possible ways to illustrate the concepts of
the event for those who were not present; while struggling with this, I
realized that a friend had completed comics somewhat relevant to this topic. So
I requested his permission to use some of his pieces. He was not only kind
enough to give me permission to use his pieces, but also recently completed
another comic for the purposes of this report.[xxx]
The piece, in a very humorous way, summarizes the perception of
marginalization, discrimination and isolation felt by many a Muslim youth.
Therefore, the event and the following reports have allowed us to highlight the
work of creative artists who are attempting to negotiate the trauma from a
comics-based perspective. In fact, I found his pieces so effective in
communicating the experiences to mainstream society and in triggering the
conversation both within and outside the Muslim community that I hope and plan
to make a video highlighting the work of Khaiam D. and Ninjabi, a female comic
artist from USA who draws comics on the same topic.
1. The
core team took on project visioning and project management responsibilities
The core team was able to develop
leadership and delegation skills
2. The
follows tasks were outsourced: Website, Performer Recruitment, Event promotion,
Logistical arrangements, Emcee script, Photography and video-recording,
Evaluation, Collection and editing recorded media, Report writing, Conducting
debrief
Outsourcing
tasks allowed to increase the number of people who were directly increasing in
civic engagement through this program; this also increased the amount of
ownership felt by the community for the project
3. Performers
were recruited, and two rehearsals were conducted
The
event was organized to experiment with the poetry therapy, a theory that states
that poetry has a significant therapeutic value. In addition, Bolton states in
her book, “Effective poetry usually works on two levels: there is the content
or idea of the poem and then how it is expressed… The same is often true of
therapy… There is the ‘issue’, the content of the problem, but there are subtle
ways in which communication is formed and maintained and experience between the
person offering help and the one seeking it.” The rehearsals were meant to
facilitate a space and time for performers to workshop the content and delivery
of their pieces
4. We
facilitated a formal setting for a post-performance discussion but the
discussion was allowed to run in an unstructured manner
The discussion was unstructured as
to allow space for unplanned conclusions and questions
a.“Serendipity
is the discovery by accident and sagacity of things we were not in quest of.
The primary disciple of serendipity is attentiveness to those things present
along the way that were not initially seen as the defined goal but that in the
end created significant new insight that built creatively towards an ultimate
purpose” (page 175 of the Moral Imagination)
5. The
formally defined space for discussion was followed by an informal space and
time to allow people to network and continue discussions as they desired
This was done due to strong belief
and faith in the peer-to-peer learning model
6. Youth-friendly
evaluation forms were used to collect feedback, measure interest in a following
event and to gain suggestions for future events
The
evaluation forms were specifically designed to allow for people to express
their feelings in either written or representative
7. Each
table was covered with blank paper, as to allow attendees to draw as they
observed the performances and while they participated in the
formally-facilitated discussion session.
The
pieces of art were deemed essential, in line with the theory that art therapy
allows people to work through their thoughts in a more accessible manner
We conducted a debrief session, as to brainstorm a list of lessons we
learned during the process of organizing the event, hosting it on the day off
and reflecting on it after the event concluded. Since this was a team effort,
these group conclusions were very much in-line with my individual conclusions.
What
we did well
·
We
did not lose people between performance and discussion session – that means
that we were successful in securing enough interest from the performances.
·
While
the advertised agenda advertised a start time of 6 pm, we had to change the
event start time to 6.30 pm on the day of the event. We were punctual in
starting on time at 6.30 pm.
·
The
last group of individuals stayed around for a post-event discussion which
lasted past midnight, which was three hours after the actual event end time.
This was seen as a significant indicator of success.
·
While
we were a little concerned about having prayer as we did not want the
non-praying audience to feel excluded. It seemed that we managed to deal with
this sensitive situation appropriately.
·
We
were very glad to have two people of other faiths perform at the event.
·
Of
the Muslim participants, We were successful in receiving a return rate of 50%
moderates, while 25% could be arguably defined as radicals while the other 25%
could be defined as those who did not actively identify as Muslim
What we could have done differently
·
There
was unfortunately not much ethnic diversity among performers.
·
There
was unfortunately not a lot of religious diversity among the audience.
·
Logistics
o
The
sound system had not been tested ahead of time, which caused echoing and
muffled performances.
o
Materials
for prayer had not been arranged, and since prayer time fell right in between
the event program, this lack was significantly noted by people.
o
We
had to make a last-minute addendum to the event start time.
·
Discussion
session
o
The
large-group discussion did not work well – there was greater participation from
the girls, and there were a few people who dominated the entire discussion.
o
The
discussion session was not a connected conversation, rather everybody wanting
to just state their opinion
o
The
facilitator spoke too much during the discussion session.
o
The
mixed-gender discussion format was not culturally inclusive
·
Participants
came in expecting an “Islamic event”, which the event never promised in the
first place. This represented a misunderstanding or lack of understanding of
what the event was supposed to like.
·
There
were some concerns about females performing in front of males
Of all
the items listed above, if I had to pick one glaring lesson, it would be a
reminder of the fact that significant training is required to lead discussions.
I had arrogantly assumed that simply because. As well, I realized that I needed
significant extra outside help in mediating such a discussion. In addition, i
would make sure to plan ahead of time for extremely small groups (i.e. not
using mic) and extremely large groups, in which case it would be a good idea to
facilitate breakout sessions.
[i] "There are 3
major stages of the project (which focus on but are not limited to the
following activities):
Stage
1: The project will begin with the creation of a steering committee of 9
members comprising youth, the partner organizations and the CCMW. This
committee will lead the development and oversight of all elements of the
project.
Stage
2: To ensure that a collective and unified approach to working with other
cultures and faiths will be used in the future stages of this project, a 2 day
major Muslim youth "Strategic Planning Forum" in Toronto will be held
that will bring together 100 Muslim youth and 70 CCMW chapter delegates from 12
different Canadian cities. The intention of this Forum will be the development
of an internal work plan and a set of guidelines that will be used in the
future stages of this project.
Stage
3: The final major stage of the project will involve 17 inter-faith sessions or
activities for youth to take place across Canada, led by the youth who attended
the Forum along with regional partners. The partnerships with YOUCAN, the
Afghan Women's Organization, and other partners will be initiated immediately
after the Forum to help support the youth to develop and organize these
sessions with local CCMW chapters." (Mohammad, Terms of Reference, Pages 1-2)
[iv] In the literature on
radicalization, the presence of some grievance is an important concept and
viewed by many as a pre-requisite. Feelings of humiliation, marginalization, or
victimization can be necessary (although not sufficient) for radicalization.
Researchers familiar with marginalized and traumatized groups in the United
States were invited for their work with such communities. (Fishman, Page 17)
[v] “Radicalisation
to violence shares common ground, at least for some individuals, with gangster
lifestyles, both in the nature of group or gang recruitment, and in inter- and
intra group dynamics. Given this overlap, prevention-related activities must
learn from successful gang-related techniques” (DEMOS, Page 42)
[ix] “Research
into radicalization processes in Europe have underscored the multidimensional
interplay between 1) individual psychological disposition; 2) social factors; 3)
political factors; 4) ideological and religious dimensions; 5) cultural
identity; 6) traumatic experience and other triggering factors; ultimately 7)
group dynamics (being the radicalization ‘engine’) (Ranstorp, 2009).
• individual psychological disposition involves:
exclusion; anger/frustration; disappointment; a polarized Manichean mindset;
tendency to misinterpret situations; victim mentality, etc.
• social factors involving: social rupture (imposed
isolation); limited education; reduced social mobility; reduced prospects for
the future; petty criminality, etc.
• political factors involving: Western foreign
policy/wars; the perceived injustice suffered by Muslims across several key
regional conflicts (such as Chechnya, Iraq, Somalia, Kashmir and the Palestinian
territories, etc) that exposes Western double-standards and leads to passive
and active contributions to these struggles by Muslim communities within
Europe; military interventions by Western states; local harassment.
• Ideological/religious dimensions involving: select
historical retrieval, takfiri-interpretation of Islam; jihadi mission; Feeling
of Islam under attack and defensive posture to protect fellow Muslims under
siege.
• Cultural identity involving: standing in between
cultures as well as the politics of Muslim identity.
• Traumatic experience and other triggering factors
involving: experience of moral shock and search for meaning.
• Group dynamics involving: leadership; isolation from
old social networks; polarisation; groupthink and cohesion” (Fishman, Page 124)
[xvi] “Several points
illustrate how this work could be approached with U.S. refugee and immigrant
groups, based upon evidence from effective prevention interventions in public
health that have diminished risk behaviours through changing community and
family processes. 1. Identify Community and Family Protective Resources 2.
Build Family Interventions 3. Build Multilevel Community Interventions 4. Form
Community Collaborative Partnerships 5. Form Multidisciplinary Collaborations”
(Fishman, Page 104-105)
[xviii] The
peer-model hand out that was distributed in class also played a significant
influence in determining importance of using a peer-based model for this event.
[xxix] A total of
13 pieces were performed. However two people were unable to locate their piece
and two are unwilling to submit for publication
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