Butterflies in training

Abstract

The following is the detailed report of the narrative workshop within the project "NARR-LAB. La narrazione del sé come strumento di prevenzione della violenza di genere", born at the end of 2023 among students of the University of Palermo, with the aim of countering gender stereotypes and preventing sexual discrimination. One of the steps of the workshop was dedicated to text production activities, that is, self-narratives in which the students retraced some key moments in their lives, above all conflictual situations. The second step just consisted of the proposal of some literary texts related to self representation, as Una donna by Sibilla Aleramo, that falls into the genre of fictional autobiography. NARR-LAB ended with another experiment in autofictional form, but more strongly structured. The whole activity was designed to enlighten students on the value of self-narration as an instrument to rewrite one’s past, to assume an active role in one’s intellectual and emotional growth, to transform ancient traumas and old scars into experiences that can be narrated and communicated to others