Throughout American history, a wave of immigrants who have come to the U.S. either by ways of compulsion or their own free will has faced discrimination
After 9/11, Muslim culture has been a target of discrimination. This division of people has caused us to lose our humanity. Pictures have surfaced of children choking on gas in Syrian countries and we still have policies that keep Syrians from seeking refuge in our country based on religion.
So my VR experience address the question of how we can regain our empathy for Syrian Refugees? How can we regain our humanity?
Well the best way to understand someone’s plight is to be in it. I propose a role reversal experience where the United States is in turmoil and our citizens are in need of refuge. The user will go through process of obtaining asylum in American and then try to assimilate into a culture completely different from their own in a society that resents them.
Through this experience, I hope that United States citizens can look at the struggle of these refugees and understand it. I am hoping that after putting themselves in their position they will rethink their position. That politicians will not lobby to keep innocent people out of our country and that citizens will not be afraid of a person speaking Arabic.
Education and Application. In the VR scenario the user will learn about Muslim culture and Syrian culture. They will hear people speaking Arabic and even learn Arabic phrases and allow them to destigmatize Muslims as all being terrorist. Originally my idea was to allow students who are taking a Religious Studies or Cultural Courses to use the simulation but this can be applied to various demographic such as lawyers, law students, social workers, diplomats, writers and politicians.