Reading circles help prisoners develop empathy and critical thinking

Paola Affettuoso, a literature teacher, leads a shared reading laboratory for inmates at the prison in Caltagirone, located in the province of Catania, Italy.

She uses books as a starting point to foster empathy and critical thinking among students of various ages. The classroom setting is organized in a circle to create a democratic space where every person has the right to speak and listen without judgment.

The laboratory follows the P4C method, a philosophical dialogue practice created in the mid-1970s by Matthew Lipman and Ann M. Sharp. This approach transforms the classroom into a community of inquiry. Affettuoso observes that while students often struggle with aggression or defensive attitudes, the practice of dialogue requires them to recognize the value in others' opinions. She notes that a student beginning to doubt a long held conviction represents a success in the educational process.

The curriculum aims to help students recognize their own prejudices and imagine different life paths. For example, students often find it easier to identify with fellow inmates than with police officers. Affettuoso uses literature to challenge these perspectives and address difficult social issues like organized crime. By engaging with texts like those by Jean Giono or John Steinbeck, students develop the imagination to envision possibilities beyond their current circumstances and past identities.