In producing a website on issues as emotive and multidimensional as those derived from ethnic and cultural diversity, we encountered several dilemmas. These dilemmas were further highlighted in the feedback received on draft versions, and were also posed in the research we previously conducted for producing this research-based website. We received 653 completed questionnaires by Spanish and foreign adolescents; 108 completed questionnaires by adult foreigners; 51 completed questionnaires by Spanish adults who had been migrants themselves (abroad and/or inside Spain); and we interviewed 35 people among foreign adolescents/adults and Spanish adults (some of whom belonged to NGOs and/or immigrants' associations).

Because of the nature of the diversity theme, clear (re)solutions are difficult (sometimes impossible), so sometimes we have had to make some choices between contradictory options and advice (of colleagues, schools, etc.). Our thinking about some of these choices is summarised below.

Audience

The intended audience is mainly adolescents (in fact, the website has been offered free to schools as a 'different' complementary pedagogical tool) and, in general, all those interested in knowing more about this newly multicultural Spain. We hope that for foreign users the website will provide some support in terms of points of view and familiar experiences and, both to them and to the native Spanish population, we hope that the website will serve to create mutual understanding and anti-racist awareness.

The purpose of the web

Since a growing number of minority ethnic groups live in Spain -each with different backgrounds and experiences-, we decided to try to address themes and issues that has arisen from this diversity. We were also aware that differing experiences and histories are not just present between Spaniards and foreigners, but also within and between foreigners and Spaniards themselves (since internal diversity also exists!). Thus, the nine characters of the web must be seem as vehicles for general diversity in Spain, not as 'representatives' of specific minorities or majorities.

Which groups are present (and not present)

We made the decision that nine characters would be a reasonable and manageable number for the website. Of these, five were born in Spain and four were born abroad. The ones born in Spain were: Edurne (from the Basque Country), Lucía (Spanish Roma), Isabel (with Castilian father and Andalusian mother), Maruxa (from Galicia) and Josep (from Catalonia, though with a Galician grandfather and Sephardim roots). The ones born abroad were: Mohamed (with double nationality: son of a Moroccan father and a Spanish mother), Urpi (born in Peru, but now also a Spaniard from living in Spain more than two and a half years), Ivan (Croat refugee) and Burama (from Gambia). Indeed, different characters either from other parts of Spain or other countries could have been introduced in Spanishkid. The reasons mentioned above, plus time and resources, determined the quantity of nine. Nevertheless, if the European Union Comenius 'Eurokid' project -that made possible the creation of the Spanish webs ( www.spanishkid.org and www.diversidadjuvenil.org ), the Swedish ( www.swedkid.nu ) and the British ( www.britkid.org )- gets further funding we are committed to developing the websites. In this case, a priority will be extending the 'cast' in some way to address the most significant absences, perhaps by alternating existing characters with new ones or via a visit to another imaginary place.

Stereotyping

Having only nine characters makes oversimplification and stereotyping a constant risk. We have tried to avoid this by building in details that make the characters individuals, and illustrating some of the tensions and negotiations within their identities (sometimes multiple identities). In this sense, Lucía, the Spanish Roma, follows her Roma culture but also wants to go to university; Josep, though Catalan Spaniard, also has a Galician and a Jewish heritage; Mohamed, although having double nationality (Moroccan-Spanish), sometimes sees and/or is seen in Spain only as Moroccan, and only as Spanish in Morocco, etc.

At the same time, there are some contradictions in the decisions to use, or not use, statistical research to inform the characterisations whilst trying to avoid stereotyping. For example, Lucía's character is not representative of Roma, particularly Roma women, mainly due to her ideas and her determination to receive higher education. Her parents are neither 'representative' since they fear that Lucía is getting closer to paya¹ culture, but they allow her to study despite it all. Burama's future goal is not representative for Gambian boys living in Spain either, but both for the cases of Lucía and Burama -or for Mohamed's or the others- we chose the positive future possibilities rather than just sticking to statistical representativeness.

We tried to match the number of characters born in Spain with those born abroad. This is the reason why out of the nine characters five are part of Spain's internal diversity.

Other decisions we had to make were about physical appearance and, related to this, the clothes and accessories such as shoes or earrings, but also their body language. For example, regarding Lucía's looks, due to the fact that she would be an uncommon Roma girl, it took us much time to decide - even about the length and style of her dress! Finally, after consultation with a significant number Roma and non-Roma (mainly adolescents), we decided upon her current look. We did not want physical appearance to be more significant than what each character had to say (particularly in the dialogues), but we wanted it to give some idea about their personality and/or likes. For example, Josep carries a folder, Burama hold a basketball ball, Maruxa's and Ivan's body language show that they are shy, in contrast to Edurne, etc. Anyway, we tried to create characters with 'normal' looks, so there is a character (Isabel) who some might consider a bit over-weight and who wears glasses; another character (Josep) uses teeth braces, Urpi is short, etc. The look of the characters' relatives was also discussed.

Moreover, we thought of having other characters in the site, such as people with disabilities, gifted students, homosexuals, transsexuals, etc. However, within the limit of nine characters we preferred to mainly concentrate on ethnic/cultural diversity. Anyway, on various conversations, it is mentioned the fact that everyone has his/her own value, independently of issues of ethnic/cultural origin, sex, social class, sexual orientation, physical or intellectual ability, etc. and that, therefore, nobody is better or worse than anybody, but different.

Regarding the locations or places where the characters 'meet' and dialogue, it is intended that they represent possible places where adolescents talk about both everyday and more important things.

We decided to make characters vague about religious beliefs and/or not too religious because we wanted them to be characters rather than religious representatives. Nonetheless, religion is given some prominence in the dialogues because (as with language) there is often confusion about factual details and both are often exploited in racist arguments.

Slang language / talking ungrammatically and 'intellectual dialogues'... One repeated phrase by some teachers who sent us feedback about the website was: "I can't imagine my students talking about some of these themes, and with such an appropriate language". Yet, we should not forget that these characters form part of a social group, a 'gang' -being diverse, but sharing a similar life 'philosophy'- and they love talking, reading and some also enjoy studying. Anyhow, very consciously, and with the necessary exceptions, we tried to avoid as much as possible slang words, ungrammatical talking, simply because, as educators, we did not want to be thought of as adding the deterioration of spoken language; in fact, we introduced some cult words on purpose (so that the web users could learn new words too). In any case, once we analyse not only the teachers' feedback but also the students' feedback, we will consider this further, and we will modify accordingly if that is pertinent.

Lastly, there was some concern about the characters doing anything that could be 'inappropriate' (having sexual relationships, swearing, watching 18-rated films, and so on), since it might be seen to be excusing the acts and/or reflect badly on particular groups (ethnic, cultural, social...), so we opted to avoid these situations.

There is an inevitable tension between all the dilemmas named above and trying to create fictional but realistic individuals. We have done our best, although, at the same time, we look forward to continue receiving your ideas and suggestions to improve and develop the website further.

Users' responses

You may well have made different choices faced with these dilemmas or, indeed, you may have seen others which we have missed. Please let us know if you have any comments, and the revised versions of the website will attempt to respond.

You can email us at:

Servando Pérez-Domínguez (heservan@usc.es)

Joana Salazar-Noguera (joana.salazar@uib.es)