Portals
Exercises used in: Socialism is Love
Modes: Production, Imagination, Making Things Particular
A portal can be used to introduce stories or quotations from people who have written about their experiences or ideas. The aim is to provide a closer examination of a text with a small group of people. A portal is not a means of having a theoretical discussion about a text, but rather to link the lives and practice of the people in the text to that of the people in the room. When a story or an account of something reminds us of something or someone we know, we are left with an objective combination of the two. We think it is interesting when our memories mingle and get mixed up with history, theory and other peoples’ writing: a portal makes it objective. It’s a real thing where this mix-up is held.
How to make a portal
🔹An excerpt of writing is selected for its relevance to the educational aims of the group, then printed on a single sheet of A3 paper. 🔹Using a craft knife, cut an X in the center of the page (in the middle of the text), no larger than 2.5 cm in length. The x should be barely visible, but should pull up into flaps when needed. 🔹With double-sided tape, or glue on the edges, layer a second sheet of paper behind the page of text. It can be colored or white. It can be A2 if you like. 🔹Put people in small groups, and have them read the text together. While they read you may deploy the borders technique. 🔹Instruct participants to tear a small opening in the center of the page without tearing the page entirely. 🔹Give the participants a further prompt (for examples, see Exercise 5) which will encourage reflection on a particular element of the text and some form of practice. 🔹Ask the participants to draw or write in the portal. |
Criticism of this technique
This technique tends to work pretty well. Sometimes, people who want to engage more academically with the text can find it frustrating. We have had problems in the past with people tearing the sheet clean away.
If the text provided is very dense, people can be unwilling to engage with it. It is good to try and find text that is detailed and long enough to be interesting, but will not be encountered as a ‘wall of text’. This has as much to do with the length and content of the text, as with the kinds of words used. Pay attention to finding material that you’re confident everyone can read, not just trained and highly educated people.
What’s the time?
in Al-Quds -
in Panama and Chicago -
in Burkina Faso -
in Scotland -
in Al-Quds -
in Panama and Chicago -
in Burkina Faso -
in Scotland -