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Overview

What is it? Emotion Networking is a reflective exercise that explores the dynamic relationship between emotions, heritage, and personal associations. Participants use emojis and a visual scale to express their feelings about cultural objects (e.g., a pharmaceutical jar labeled ”opium,” a Coca-Cola can, or a vodka bottle), then discuss how these emotions shape their perspectives. The goal is to raise awareness of emotional complexity in heritage and encourage open dialogue and empathy.

Step-by-step description

Introduction: Present the selected cultural objects (e.g., opium jar, Coca-Cola can, vodka bottle). Explain the emotion graph/scale and how participants will use it to express their feelings.
First reflections: Participants express, one by one, and then discuss in groups the emotions evoked by selected objects (pharmaceutical jar with “opium” inscription, Coca- Cola can, little vodka bottle and energy drink).
Placing emotions: They individually mark their mood associated with the object on the special emotion scale by placing emojis there. Participants then describe or explain the source of their associations. They share their emotional responses and associations. Encourage questions like: “What memories or experiences does this object evoke? How do your feelings compare to others?”
Re-evaluation: After hearing others’ perspectives, participants reposition themselves on the emotion scale if their views have shifted. Discuss: “Why did some emotions change? Why did others stay the same?”
Summarising discussion: Why has something changed, and why hasn’t it? Facilitate a whole-group reflection on: How emotions influence our perception of heritage; The role of cultural context in shaping associations; Highlight common themes and diverse perspectives.

Practical insights

What worked well:

Versatile Method: Adaptable to all language levels, promoting intercultural communication through shared emotional exploration.
Engagement: Small groups ensured equal participation, with emojis and visual scales helping learners express complex feelings creatively.
Cultural Integration: Activities seamlessly blended vocabulary practice with heritage exploration, fostering confidence in cross-cultural communication.

Common challenges and solutions:

Emotional Sensitivity: Some participants may feel hesitant to share personal associations. Solution: Emphasize that all emotions are valid and model vulnerability by sharing your own reflections first.
Language Barriers: Learners with limited proficiency might struggle to articulate emotions. Solution: Use emojis, visuals, or sentence starters (e.g., ”This object makes me feel ___ because…”).
Group Dynamics: Large or diverse groups may dominate discussions. Solution: Use structured turn-taking or smaller breakout groups to ensure everyone contributes.

Field reflections

During the ”For Here and To Go: Warsaw’s Cuisine” workshop, participants explored intangible heritage and culinary traditions through a dynamic, multicultural lens. By discussing local cuisines, eating habits, and historical food traditions - both in Warsaw and their home countries - learners actively engaged with vocabulary related to fruits, vegetables, and regional dishes, even identifying ingredients from paintings. The method sparked thoughtful discussions about global food symbols like Coca-Cola and chocolate. The small group setting ensured equal participation, allowing everyone to practice Polish, exchange traditions, and express themselves - even through emojis. Participants left satisfied, having expanded their vocabulary (nouns, adjectives, and emotional phrases) and gained confidence in cross-cultural communication and self-expression.

In Prague, workshops on emotions and cultural heritage began with an activity to name emotions and brainstorm related verbs, setting the stage for deeper reflection. Participants then discussed emotional self-regulation, sharing personal strategies. For the main task, they explored the emotional impact of a selected object (a can of beer), using emojis and group discussion - though they preferred free conversation over structured tasks. The session shifted to Czech cultural products, where participants guessed items from descriptions and tasted them, blending vocabulary practice with cultural discovery. The workshops showed how emotion-based activities can integrate with heritage topics, offering flexibility for grammar practice (e.g., passives, comparatives) and adaptability to any setting. The mix of structure and open dialogue created an engaging, interactive experience.

Emotion Networking: How Graphs and Artefacts Evoke Emotions

Themes:

Objectives

Settings

Materials

Physical