Your voice, your world

Your voice, your world – Understanding cultural violence

The iceberg

Perhaps you have wondered why certain comments or images on social media feel somehow ‘wrong’, even though they do not directly attack anyone physically.

This is precisely where cultural violence comes into play. Unlike physical violence, it is often invisible and hidden in jokes, school textbooks, advertising films or even in the way we talk about origins.

The scientist Johan Galtung has coined the image of an iceberg or a triangle of violence to describe this. He explains that direct violence (such as a blow) is often only the tip that protrudes from the water.

However, underlying this is a solid foundation of structural and cultural violence, which ensures that discrimination is accepted or considered “normal” in society in the first place.

If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of how these mechanisms work, you can watch this video.

An important tool of this violence is language.

When people are mocked for their accent or constantly asked “Where are you really from?”, this is called microaggression.

These are little jabs in everyday life that signal: “You don’t quite belong here.” At school or on the internet, moments like these can make you want to become invisible.

But today, especially in the digital space, there are ways to fight back and tell your own story.

Kanga Motema

One exciting example is the Kanga Motema project, in which young people have shown that you don’t have to show your face on camera to be heard. They used avatars in worlds such as Roblox and Minecraft to safely and anonymously share their experiences of exclusion.

The premiere will take place at 2 p.m. on 21 March 2026 at the Kino Brotfabrik cinema and simultaneously on our YouTube channel. Afterwards, you can also watch the film here in the learning area.

AI is not neutral

However, modern technology offers us even more opportunities for empowerment. With artificial intelligence (AI), it is now possible to create images for feelings that previously had no words – such as the “invisible backpack” full of experiences that many generations carry around with them.

But beware: AI is not neutral. Since it is trained with data from the internet, it often repeats the very prejudices and racist stereotypes that we actually want to combat.

Ultimately, it’s about becoming a pro at your own identity. You decide how you want to be seen – whether as a cool avatar, through an AI-generated symbol or through a powerful message in the voiceover.

When you learn to recognise the invisible barriers of cultural violence, you can begin to dismantle them brick by brick and replace them with your own free narratives.

In this video on AI and discrimination, you will learn why it is so important to remain critical when using digital tools.

Symbols instead of prejudices

Your challenge:

As you have learned, AIs often spit out clichés. For example, if you type in “hero,” the AI will often show a strong, white man.

Your task is to generate an image that shows “cohesion and protection against cultural violence” – but without falling back on these old role patterns.

Here's how to proceed:

Select an AI tool

e.g. Microsoft Designer, Adobe Firefly or another free generator.

Write a “neutral” prompt

Start with something simple, such as: “People stick together.” Look at the result. Are prejudices being repeated here? Are all people portrayed equally?

Create your empowerment symbol

Now you need to be more specific. Use terms you have learned in the text. A good prompt could look like this:
“An abstract, modern 3D symbol representing protection and community. Many different hands made of light form a protective space. No recognisable faces, focus on diversity and energy, vibrant colours, background slightly blurred.”

Reflection check for you