Our contemporary world is experiencing the emergence of radical discourses threatening inclusion and the productive integration of diversity in our societies. In this context, the incorporation of the sustainable development goals in our educational praxis—such as SDGs 4, 5, 10, 16 and 17—can foster critical thinking abilities and activate emotional processes aimed at minimising the effects of exclusionary discourses and hate speeches. In this respect, the cultivation of transformative empathy emerges as a key pedagogical aim in higher education. Within the frame of the innovation research project “‘Radical forms of diplomacy’: fomento de la empatía cultural y las culturas de la empatía en Estudios Ingleses”, funded by the University of Jaén (Plan de Innovación Docente-UJA 2025-2029), the first-year core subject “Introducción a la literatura en lengua inglesa”, of the Degree in English Studies, was chosen to promote students’ meaningful reflection on both the ethical significance and the social importance of transformative empathy. Working from an intersectional feminist perspective, a short story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (“The Thing around your Neck”, 2009) and two selected stories from The House on Mango Street (1984), by Sandra Cisneros, were chosen to lead students to meaningful reflection—materialised in the accomplishment of short essays—on how literature can foster the emergence of transformative empathy and on how women’s voices, traditionally marginalised, can emotionally intensify the connections between self and other whilst contributing to undermining the mainstream simplification of complex dramas such as immigration. The analysis of students’ essays shows interesting results concerning their awareness of the potential of women’s writings to transform society. Likewise, it reveals how they were capable of self-consciously identifying both the aims and the key components of transformative empathy, which may constitute a meaningful basis for socially activist pedagogical practices within the field of literature.

In The Dark Side of Empathy, Breihaupt uses the term homo empathicus to argue that “empathy cannot simply be subtracted from who we are, leaving our identity intact. Our experience of our social environment is not only coloured by empathy but structured by it” (2019, 7). In this regard, the technological connections of our contemporary globalised multicultural society could foster this human feature by breaking down cultural barriers and enabling active dialogue with the Other. Nonetheless, Han (2018) warns of the fearful metamorphosis of the individual into the homo digitalis under the imperative of dataism, which empties language of its original sense and converts it into an accumulation of information. The digitalisation of human memory, usually understood as a living organism, leaves communication undead and, in so doing, ironically detaches the individual from their inherent empathetic condition. Considering this troubling scenario, it is imperative that the humanities, and in particular philological studies, build spaces where narrations defy the instrumentalisation of memory and, consequently, the detachment of empathetic action. This research introduces the theoretical foundations and methodological principles of the teaching innovation project “‘Radical Forms of Diplomacy’: Promoting cultural empathy and cultures of empathy in English Studies”, coordinated at the University of Jaén. In this project, undergraduate students are exposed to the different manifestations of empathy—cognitive, emotional and experiential (also called narrative)—and, through memory’s narrativisation, they move from the homo digitalis back to the homo empathicus. In particular, I address the dilemma of balancing the resulting ideological positioning, which stems from empathy, with the academic objectivity sought in scholarly work, as demonstrated by the various studies arising from action research, as it is our duty to address this dilemma using appropriate pedagogical techniques and tools, from a diverse and inclusive perspective, to avoid sociopolitical reductionism and polarisation.

The main aim of my work is to present a teaching experience that we have carried out in the classroom as part of the course ‘Culture of English-Speaking Countries’. To this end, we developed an activity entitled ‘Impersonating a character’, in which students, working in pairs, take on the role of a historical figure to foster cultural empathy (Krznaric, 2015) and step into another’s shoes. In this way, students gain an understanding of the cultural perspectives of other places and contexts to interpret different realities. Imagining how another person thinks or feels helps students understand the historical context in which cultural events took place. Searching and reading contribute to ‘literary empathy’ (Keen, 2007) through narrative techniques that confirm empathetic responses from the students. Role-play also allows students to explore other social contexts and perspectives, as well as interpret realities different from their own. Through critical reflection on the ‘other’ (Said, 1978), this contributes to developing cultural diversity and helps avoid resorting to stereotypes or simplistic representations. This is underpinned by historical contextualisation and an accurate portrayal of the historical figures on whom the simulation is based. The results enable us to foster cultural empathy from a practical, reflective perspective, promoting cultural diversity and critical thinking about historical and cultural events.

In an era shaped by fast-paced, fragmented information, and social polarization, where missteps can be recorded and publicly mocked, silence often becomes the safest option. Engineered to prioritize engagement and profit over critical reflection, these conditions relentlessly erode core interpersonal skills: empathy, cooperation, critical thinking, and social risk-taking. This environment is particularly hostile to multilingual learners, whose language acquisition requires a "growth mindset" that embraces making mistakes, speaking imperfectly, and improvising in front of peers. "Foreign language anxiety" is thus amplified by a divisive, surveillance culture that demands perfection and heightens the fear of judgment (Horwitz et al., 1986). In response to this challenge, this proposal presents The Affinity Project*, a pedagogical intervention centered on life experiences such as neurodivergence, disability, LGBTQ+ identities, race and ethnicity, and body diversity. Students are asked to complete a confidential survey and choose a topic that either reflects their own lived experience or one with which they share an affinity through personal connections. While working on the project, students assume the role of educators and design a communicative lesson on their chosen topic, sharing either their own lived realities or anonymous accounts of others. These narratives provide students with the opportunity to engage with ideas they are passionate about, moving beyond mere linguistic performance and lessons devoid of meaningful content. Ultimately, students initiate discussions focusing on persuasive, evidence-based arguments to evaluate and defend positions on contemporary social justice issues.

This paper critically examines how the pervasive deployment of artificial intelligence and digital technology risks numbing human critical thinking, emotional depth, and intellectual capacity. As algorithmic systems increasingly saturate culture with standardized, synthetic content that merely recycles existing knowledge, authentic human expression and inherent imperfection emerge as vital acts of creative rebellion and original thought. The study further analyses the ongoing simplification of language across digital platforms and social media—where nuanced discourse is frequently reduced to surface-level interactions and static emojis—arguing that this linguistic contraction severely diminishes our capacity for internal self-reflection and interpersonal connection. Central to this critique is the vital role of art, deep reading, and humanities-based literacy in the promotion of empathy, allowing individuals to inhabit diverse perspectives and preserve authentic intersubjective understanding in a hyper-digitized world. Ultimately, the paper defends rigorous engagement with literature and original artistic practice as indispensable safeguards for free will, personal agency, and emotional resonance against the encroaching uniformity of machine-driven control and corporate power. All of these principles will be exemplified through the contents of a syllabus on contemporary English literature. The syllabus for this course links historical and literary content with the development of critical thinking, cultural empathy, and ethical commitment, integrating these principles into both its general competencies and practical activities.