Victoria Zascavage

Associate Professor of Special Education
Xavier University

Project Title:

Extraordinary Women: Awakening a Sense of Social Justice and Awareness of Issues of Human
Trafficking.

Overview:

The project was to design a course for freshman students that allowed for a growing sense of human worth and dignity through the amalgamation of five Grimm’s Fairy Tales on the plight of women and the realities of today’s world and issues of human trafficking. After reading the Grimm tale that described women who were indentured ( Cinderella) , victims of incest (Allerleirauh), maimed and abused by family ( The Girl without Hands), and/or abandoned with no means of support ( Clever Else) the students would research on the issues that contribute to the modern reality of these tales. Following their research they rewrote the story as a play with a modern twist and presented their interpretation to their peers. Students were exposed to various texts (ie. Sula or Women with Disability in Literature) that highlighted the predicament of the dis-enfranchised women. A field trip to Cincinnati Freedom Center was more than a history lesson on slavery, it was an eye opening look into trafficking and the stories of the survivors. Social justice is not a bystander agenda. This course was constructed to bring awareness of the issues of women around the world who are marginalized and/or exploited. For the young extraordinary women of Xavier in this freshman course this is one step on the road to becoming a women for others.

Project Details:

Student read a wide variety of literature from various periods of history to gain a sense of the culture of the issue of human slavery and marginalization of women. The final project was a compilation of four Grimm tale interpretations answering the specific questions on the ramifications of the characters predicament, the history surrounding the issue, and the modern day manifestation of this issue. The script of the rewritten tales was part of the package. Deep discussions occurred in every case. The Maiden without Hands and Allerleirauh were brutal tales of father’s who exploited their daughters, sexually and physically and women who married without choice or options. The students increased their awareness of issues and fears that are as ancient as the Old Testament and as modern as ISIS.

Indications of Success:

Request from the students to form a club of Extraordinary Women alumni that promotes active service for women who are marginalized in the community. The reconstructed fairy tale skits were insightful, funny but still indicative of a new wave of critical thinking about serious social issues of their times We went to a puppet show together- Madcap puppets performed The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. When the two men began to fight over the heroin Katrina she exclaims- I am not a toy to be owned I am a women who can make her own choice who she wants to marry. All sixteen Xavier women stood up spontaneously in unison and applauded the line.

Challenges:

To keep the course from getting too dark- the topic can and does become very serious. To challenge the students to get involved at a local level – without putting them in danger or promoting a tourist atmosphere to the plight of the other To strengthen the program so it that allows these students to experience, reflect upon, and actively investigate life styles that are unfamiliar. It is important that “ a vital interaction “ between knowledge and conscience guides them to seek truth based on a reflective understanding of God’s purpose for each soul.