Global Change Seminar "It's Your Move!"
Group Exercise

Belief Exploration

For this exercise use a Talking Stick if desired, and you'll need enough pencils and paper for each person present.

1. Choose one of the institutions to explore from the list below. Choose a topic that everyone present has some strong opinions about.
• the U.N.
• corporations
• technology
• democracy
• Islam
• globalization
• television
• the news media
• the Christian right
• environmentalism
• the military
• human rights activism
• the advertising industry
  
2. Now, allow enough time for each person to complete on a piece of paper the following statements: [NOTE: "nothing" isn't a valid response to any of these statements.]
• In my opinion, the three most valuable contributions that (institution) makes to human society worldwide are:
• In my opinion, the three biggest problems (institution) creates for human society worldwide are:
• In my opinion, the three ways that (institution) could change to significantly improve things for human society worldwide are:
  
3. Each person, in turn, shares their response to the first statement and explains the reasons they chose their three responses. It may be helpful to record responses on newsprint. After this sharing, then the group engages in a few minutes discussion about what was said.
   
4. Now select another topic from the list given in step 1 and repeat this process. Do as many topics as as the group has time for, or wants to.
   
   

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   Discussion Questions
   
   

   • The things that struck me most about what came up in this exercise were...
   • I'd like to know more about - or possibly do some research on....
   • I would like us to spend some more time talking about.....