ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces “A Step Forward,” an adaptation of the “Privilege Walk” exercise with the purpose of developing students’ self-awareness and empathy. During the exercise and the subsequent discussion, students come to feel and understand what it is like to be born with or without certain privileges and how that affects one’s opportunities in life. The chapter starts with giving a background to the need for self-reflection and empathy in relation to developing a sustainability mindset and then explains how working with norms and privileges is an important aspect of this. Then the exercise is introduced and described. Next, excerpts from students’ reflection papers completed after the exercise demonstrate the thoughts and feelings triggered by the exercise. The authors conclude the chapter by reflecting on the short- and long-term effects of this exercise and its role within the broader frame of developing a sustainability mindset at a business school.
