Final reflection and development activity
Scenario
Imagine you are a community leader in Democracyville, a diverse community where populism has been gaining popularity. You strongly believe that a narrative which emphasises shared EU values and goals, encouraging constructive interaction, embracing diversity and inclusiveness, and emphasising the value of resilience is necessary to combat this appeal. By selecting options that fit with these components, you will create a positive story during this exercise.
Instructions
Choose the solution that most closely fits the given element after reading each case. Please note the letter of your chosen answer for all topics!
1 – Emphasise common values and aspirations:
A: Divert from political issues by ignoring them and concentrating only on economic expansion.
B: Encourage people to respectfully debate issues in order to come to consensus and advance common objectives.
C: Disregard any potential similarities between competing political groups and brand them as adversaries.
2 – Promote constructive engagement:
A: Hold public forums where residents can freely express their thoughts and participate in worthwhile conversations to encourage constructive engagement.
B: To maintain unity and prevent possible conflicts, suppress opposing viewpoints.
C: In order to avoid misunderstandings, discourage people from taking part in political debates.
3 – Embrace diversity and inclusion:
A: Promote segregation by establishing distinct communities based on racial or cultural backgrounds.
B: Implement strict assimilation regulations to guarantee compliance to the dominant cultural norm.
C: Celebrate cultural diversity by holding festivals and events that highlight varied traditions and practices.
4 – Develop resilience:
A: Encourage people to accept change, adjust to changing circumstances, and draw lessons from the past.
B: Disavow responsibility for errors and attribute any failures to outside forces.
C: To prevent future disruptions, discourage innovation and uphold the status quo.
Evaluation
Now add up the points of all your answers and read the corresponding evaluation below:
| Topic | A | B | C |
| 1 – Emphasise common values and aspirations | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 – Promote constructive engagement | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 – Embrace diversity and inclusion | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 – Develop resilience | 3 | 1 | 2 |
12 to 10 points: Congratulations! You have been effective in developing a positive narrative that counters populism’s appeal and increases democratic resilience.
9 to 6 points:Nice work! Your positive narrative has potential, but it can be improved by being more in line with the essential components.
5 or less: Keep practicing! Your story needs to be significantly improved if you want to successfully counter the appeal of populism and encourage democratic resilience.