Seeking Common Ground In Comics: a research project in progress

Abstract

Wise Up, Man! –talkin' peace, love and straight thinkin' is a pilot for a comic book application for touch screen tablets. A post-doctoral research project, the application will present wisdom stories from across the world's great spiritual traditions in a non-discriminatory, inclusive and light-hearted fashion. Aimed at 10 -12 year old children, comics and activity pages address themes of self-worth, compassion, forgiveness, and tolerance.

The project is based on the proposal that education lies at the heart of working towards global peace, tolerance and mutual respect. It asserts that a common ground can be found across religion, culture and ideology via a secular approach of curiosity and inclusion. In focusing on the ethical values informing the world's spiritual traditions, valuable life lessons might be revitalized for contemporary children. The universal language of comics and the appeal to children of interactivity and a multimodal approach is discussed, as well as the challenge of adapting traditional stories for a diverse contemporary audience.