IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i3p2485-d1051777.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Systematic Narrative Review of Implementation, Processes, and Outcomes of Human Library

Author

Listed:
  • Gary Yu Hin Lam

    (Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin NT, Hong Kong, China)

  • Hei Ting Wong

    (Cultural Studies in Asia Programme, Department of Communications and New Media, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117416, Singapore)

  • Mengge Zhang

    (Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin NT, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

First started in Denmark in 2000, Human Library (HL) has been adopted by different communities around the world. It is an innovative approach that engages “readers” from the general public to have collaborative conversations with “books” from minority or marginalized communities to learn about their lived experiences and reduce public stigma and stereotypes. While the HL is popularized, its research base and implementation structure remain limited. This systematic narrative review aims to review the HL literature to (1) summarize the design, implementation, processes, and outcomes of existing HL programs and (2) synthesize recommendations for future implementation of more effective, ethical, and sensible HL. A systematic search in eight electronic databases yielded 23 journal articles and book chapters about HL published from 2010 to 2022. The identified literature demonstrated variations in format, venue, scale, preparation, and recruitment. A wide range of books with different social identities and from different cultural groups were reported, while readers were mostly from university and school communities. Reduced prejudices and improved attitudes were reported in readers, while both readers and books reported various facets of personal growth. Future HL using implementation guidelines with clearly articulate ethical considerations and diverse rigorous research methodologies are recommended.

Suggested Citation

  • Gary Yu Hin Lam & Hei Ting Wong & Mengge Zhang, 2023. "A Systematic Narrative Review of Implementation, Processes, and Outcomes of Human Library," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2485-:d:1051777
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2485/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2485/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Corey Jackson & Yun Huang & Abby S. Kasowitz-Scheer, 2015. "Face-to-Face Matters: Inspirations from the Human Library," International Journal of Mobile Human Computer Interaction (IJMHCI), IGI Global, vol. 7(3), pages 42-54, July.
    2. Paluck, Elizabeth Levy & Green, Seth A. & Green, Donald P., 2019. "The contact hypothesis re-evaluated," Behavioural Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(2), pages 129-158, November.
    3. Chi Kin Kwan, 2020. "A Qualitative Inquiry into the Human Library Approach: Facilitating Social Inclusion and Promoting Recovery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-10, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kai Barron & Heike Harmgart & Steffen Huck & Sebastian O. Schneider & Matthias Sutter, 2023. "Discrimination, Narratives, and Family History: An Experiment with Jordanian Host and Syrian Refugee Children," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 105(4), pages 1008-1016, July.
    2. Bagues, Manuel & Roth, Christopher, 2020. "Interregional Contact and National Identity," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 526, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    3. Alberto Alesina & Marco Tabellini, 2024. "The Political Effects of Immigration: Culture or Economics?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 62(1), pages 5-46, March.
    4. Achard, Pascal & Suetens, Sigrid, 2023. "The Causal Effect of Ethnic Diversity on Support for Redistribution and the Role of Discrimination," Other publications TiSEM a5e6e0cd-5e07-4a24-a15c-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Paul Vertier & Max Viskanic & Matteo Gamalerio, 2020. "Dismantling the 'Jungle' : Relocation and Extreme Voting in France," Sciences Po publications 110, Sciences Po.
    6. Juliana Londoño-Vélez, 2022. "The Impact of Diversity on Perceptions of Income Distribution and Preferences for Redistribution," NBER Working Papers 30386, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Getachew, Abis & Höckel, Lisa Sofie & Kuhnt, Jana & Muhumad, Abdirahman A. & von Schiller, Armin, 2023. "Improving employment and social cohesion among refugee and host communities through TVET: evidence from an impact assessment in Ethiopia," IDOS Policy Briefs 26/2023, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Bonn.
    8. Betts, Alexander & Flinder Stierna, Maria & Omata, Naohiko & Sterck, Olivier, 2023. "Refugees welcome? Inter-group interaction and host community attitude formation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. Campo, Francesco & Giunti, Sara & Mendola, Mariapia & Tura, Giulia, 2023. "Political Backlash to Refugee Settlement: Cultural and Economic Drivers," IZA Discussion Papers 16245, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Betts,Alexander Milton Stedman & Stierna,Maria Flinder & Omata,Naohiko & Sterck,Olivier Christian Brigitte, 2022. "Social Cohesion and Refugee-Host Interactions : Evidence from East Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9917, The World Bank.
    11. Maiti, Surya Nath & Pakrashi, Debayan & Saha, Sarani & Smyth, Russell, 2022. "Don't judge a book by its cover: The role of intergroup contact in reducing prejudice in conflict settings," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 533-548.
    12. Londoño-Vélez, Juliana, 2022. "The impact of diversity on perceptions of income distribution and preferences for redistribution," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    13. Michael Bailey & Drew Johnston & Martin Koenen & Theresa Kuchler & Dominic Russel & Johannes Stroebel, 2022. "The Social Integration of International Migrants: Evidence from the Networks of Syrians in Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 9680, CESifo.
    14. Harris, Colin & Myers, Andrew & Kaiser, Adam, 2023. "The humanizing effect of market interaction," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 489-507.
    15. Sule Alan & Ceren Baysan & Mert Gumren & Elif Kubilay, 2021. "Building Social Cohesion in Ethnically Mixed Schools: An Intervention on Perspective Taking," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 136(4), pages 2147-2194.
    16. Koukal, Anna Maria & Schafer, Patricia & Eichenberger, Reiner, 2021. "Enfranchising non-citizens: What drives natives’ willingness to share power?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 1088-1108.
    17. Nicholas A. Bowman & Gregory C. Wolniak & Tricia A. Seifert & Kathleen Wise & Charles Blaich, 2023. "The Long-Term Role of Undergraduate Experiences: Predicting Intellectual and Civic Outcomes," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 64(3), pages 379-401, May.
    18. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/39r598j3pm8vmq8cj5p2pnev7v is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Lucia Bosakova & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Jitse P. van Dijk & Sijmen A. Reijneveld, 2020. "Appropriate Employment for Segregated Roma: Mechanisms in a Public–Private Partnership Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-18, May.
    20. Hodler, Roland & Srisuma, Sorawoot & Vesperoni, Alberto & Zurlinden, Noémie, 2020. "Measuring ethnic stratification and its effect on trust in Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    21. Lepage, Louis Pierre, 2020. "Endogenous learning and the persistence of employer biases in the labor market," CLEF Working Paper Series 24, Canadian Labour Economics Forum (CLEF), University of Waterloo.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2485-:d:1051777. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.