Resource: Danger of a Single Story

Topics and Competencies

Resource, Awareness of Social Identities, Culture, Dominant Narratives

Grade Level

Middle Grades, High School, College/Adult

Subject Area Integration

None

Author(s)

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Source

Date Created/Most Recently Revised

2009

Description

Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

This is a popular video for introducing stereotyping and dominant narratives.