Goal
To explore whether certain diet and lifestyle choices reflect speciesm (prejudice toward animals).
Assignment
Ask students to visit eInterview.org, take the Diet & Lifestyle Choices Interview, and write a 1-3 page report answering questions such as:
- What was it like to take the interview?
- Did you have an emotional reaction?
- If so, what reaction did you have, and why?
- If not, why was the experience unemotional?
- How satisfied were you with your answers?
- Did the interview raise any new questions for you?
- Did the interview change any beliefs or behavior?
- Is there such a thing as prejudice toward animals?
- If so, do you ever hold this prejudice, and why?
- If not, why can't animals be targets of prejudice?
- How is speciesism similar to or different from racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other forms of prejudice?
Optional Reading
One variation is to have students read Is There Such a Thing as Prejudice Toward Animals? after they take the interview, and then discuss this question in class. If this question is discussed, be sure to emphasize that there is no agreed-upon right or wrong answer, and encourage students to use their knowledge of prejudice to arrive at their own answer.
Notes
Due to the challenging nature of the interview, students should be instructed to take it alone without interruptions or distractions. In addition, it's best to offer students an alternative such as the following if they prefer not to answer some or all of the interview questions:
"If at any point you prefer not to complete an assignment, you can still receive full credit by turning in a 1-3 page report discussing the barriers that prevented you from carrying out the assignment."