Session 3
Mon 5 June 2023
Task 2 – Faith in Intersectionality
We were asked to read Social justice/Buddhism/Queerness from Higher power. Religion, Faith, Spiritually & Belief. Consider the questions – how does this relate to your understand of religion in the context of inclusiveness? How does this impact your practice as a creative? It’s our duty to fight for freedom, it’s our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. ‘We have nothing to lose but our chains’ – Assata Shakur from Assata: An Autobiography June 2014. This book reframes the Black Lives Matter movement. A new diorama, Dialogue about how the legacy of racial injustice and white supremacy plays out in society & Buddhist communities. Racism and privilege prevent our collective awakening. black prophetic tradition and the wisdom of Dharma – bringing the word of spirit and action. Urging a compassionate response to systematic, state sanctioned violence and oppression that has persisted against black people since slavery. Black lives matter – black centered liberation group/radical Dharma, social transformation and personal spiritual liberation must be articulated and inextricably linked. Teachings have been transcended of colour, class and cast not hindered by discrimination and the dynamics of power, shame & ignorance. A new Dharma that deconstructs rather than amplifies systems of suffering. Forge a path towards reconciliation, self-liberation rests on radical honesty, speaks as souls ‘in a society where profit rules people’ value is determined by the colour of their skin and many voices – including queer voices are silenced. Radical Dharma recasts the concept of engaged spirituality, social transformation, inclusiveness and healing. Liberation is a process – stop believing in your inferiority. Intersections of race racism gender identity and sexual preference. Transform your own racial/sexual/gender words. ‘Race is the ultimate delusion in that it both does and doesn’t exist in reality’ Making participants feel uncomfortable but learn how to deal with the suffering. Viewpoint – race is monolithic/races as factorial. ‘I’n loving, I have no expectations.’
Task 3 – Shirley Ann Tate on Whiteliness and Institutional Racism
How we hide behind unconscious bias – observations. How does this relate to my understanding of whiteness and white fragility? What steps can I take to implement change? Racism is individual acts as a bad person but now I understand that I move through the world as a white person, it is easy to not acknowledge that race is a system, institutions are based on unequal power. Institutions tend to be controlled by men, individual prejudice and a system of inequality. Post civil rights we understand that it is bad to be racist but it became impossible for white people to look at racism. Racial identity shapes your life, experience and perspectives. Patterns – how we get socialise to see the world. We still have the same unequal outcomes by race. All the things we say to rationalise that we are not complicit in this system, the idea: how our parents taught us to treat everyone the same. This is not true it indicates that you don’t understand how socialism works or what it means to be white. Go under the surface and realise it is impossible to treat everyone the same. We say ‘I am not racist’ (conscious) ‘I have black friends’ but most bias unconscious – we are not aware of it. We have fundamentally different experiences because racism is real. ‘Whiteness’ is a location of structural advantage of race privilege. It is a ‘standpoint’ a place from which white people look at ourselves and others. Overwhelmingly, white people control power. Entitlement is widespread – Ainsley and Gilden.
Racism, the link to society & power – critique unconscious bias. HE educations thinks they have sorted it out but it makes you think further, question everything. Practice that opposes the status quo. Stacey tells us – ‘This is work on top of my work to do. It is on us as tutors to support students, when we see our students suffering, to step in, advocate for them. It’s an extra job also recognise the importance of self-care, I need to stop for a minute to regroup. We are the ripples that will make the tidal wave.’ “A new powerful ideology has emerged to defend the contemporary racial order: the ideology of color-blind racism” (Bonilla-Silva, 2014:73.) We must question societal structures and policies that reinforce inequities for people of color whilst privileging opportunities and maintaining the status quo for white people. This colour blind approaches also sees consistent underachievement of some minority students in compulsory and post compulsory education.
At UAL there is less discussion on faith than gender & race. We are all worried about getting it wrong. Language, educate yourself. Reading – all-inclusive practice is a continual journey. Read ‘Why I am no longer talking to white people about race’ a book on the history of this, to understand how institutional racism builds up. Also, Rennie Aldo. Black Tudors by Miranda Cochnam.
Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr Robin DiAngelo
This 20-minute YouTube video is probably the most life changing element of this unit for me. Dr Robin DiAngelo deconstructs White Privilege explaining it in relation to the ‘Pillars under the dock’. Her explanation makes me think about my life and the lack of diversity in which I grew up without ever thinking about it,
The Pillars under the dock
- Miseducation.
- Universal – Why can’t we all be the same? – popular in spiritual communities.
- Individualism – Why can’t we all be different? – the idea that each of us is unique.
- Good or Bad Binary.
- Segregation – The power to keep the system in place. Most white people live apart from black people in our lives – homes, relationships.
- Social reality – How race functions in our lives. Everyday racism embedded in that we participate such as: considering good schools v bad schools – a new form of racism.
- The absence of people of colour.
- Internalised superiority – investment in the racial order, it is better to be white – 24/7 society reinforces that for us.
If I think about myself – I am white. I grew up in a white neighbourhood, I went to majority white school both primary and secondary, I went to a mostly white university course and post graduate course in the Netherlands. I remember lots of Moroccans living in Maastricht but none on my course despite colleagues from the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium. Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Poland, Lebanon, Moldova. My life has been a form of segregation without me even realising it. I can live my whole life in segregation – Dr Robin D Angelo asks me to consider – what consistent ongoing relationships with people of colour do I have? This shapes the relationships I do have, and therefore what I care about. We need to look at race inside of us, our race privileges us in this society. White supremacy = we are seen as inherently superior. My world view is formed in that water – I am responsible for changing it. I must understand that inaction is a form of action. Racism is a system we are all part of. When white people receiving feedback on how we are behaving we often become defensive – reflect on that, listen and learn, try to change. Take the life journey.
Task 4A – Who’s Who
We are asked to recognise and name these important people in terms of Critical Race Theory in education. I am reminded to read and reference them in relation to my 1500 reflection piece. Only 3 of them are based in the UK.
Derrick Bell. Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. Heidi Mizra. Richard Delgado. Jean Stefancic. Charles W. Mills. Robin DiAngelo. William F Tate IV. Gloria Ladson-Billings. Professor Shirley Anne Tate. David GiLlborn.
Task 4B – White Privilege
UK university academics offered white privilege lessons, to discuss the effect of white privilege on black and minority ethnic groups in HE. Identify ‘whiteness’ in society and higher education, look at how universities can create a culturally responsible curriculum and teaching practices. ‘Walking on the white side of the street’ – white privilege as a structured phenomenon impacts upon housing, education, health & employment. People of colour are systematically discriminated against. Good practice in supporting black and minority ethnic students in HE. ‘Why is my curriculum white?’ whiteness in the curriculum is shaped by colonialism. Demonstrate understanding of race and ethnicity with a focus on power, privilege and politics within social and educational contexts.
- Critically evaluate wider institutional perspective some rice and ethnicity relating to learning, teaching and assessment.
- Engage with theories as a tool for learning and teaching.
- Utilise case studies to enhance problem-based learning methods.
Task 5 – Critcal Race Theory
Uses storytelling and counter storytelling to give a voice to the traditionally marginalised in society who’s truth is often interpreted through a white lense. Critical race theory scholars consider whiteness the normative position against which all other experiences are judged. We talk about Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old African American boy who was abducted for allegedly whistling at a woman offending her, he was tortured and lynched. His mother had an open casket to show the level of violence committed against him – years later the lady admitted she had lied. Till became an icon of the civil rights movement. Watch the movie ‘Till’ 2022 about his mother. The Shades of Noir journals are excellent counter storytelling resource.
Key resources to read
- Read introduction of Critical Race Theory – consider: what is critical race theory? Who are the principal figures?
- What are the basic turrets of critical race? How much racism is there in the world?!
- Pedagogy of the oppressed by Paulo Freire 1970.
- Teaching to Transgress. Education as the Practice of Freedom by Bell Hooks 1994.
David Gilian for education
Data in HE equality, diversity of UK professors by gender BME and white identity. Race does not count for oppression. Gender & race – the percentage of women of colour professors is very low. This is the second point that has completely shocked me – I cannot believe that the percentage of female BME professors is only 1.7%
White male 69.4%
White female 22.6%
BME male 6.2%
BME female 1.7%
Faith, art and design that is visible/invisible. Consider faith and inclusion and intersectionality, how have you dealt with it? Our tutor gives the example of a Muslim student who was offended by somebody’s drawing showing their sexuality – the student ripped the image off the wall – how would I deal with that? What discussions could we have as a group? We have to accept our different faiths. Learn with love regardless of creed. Social justice is about coming together with religion. Use my positionality to contribute to racial equality. Bell Hooks speaks of leading with empathy & compassion. I must lead with compassion, be open and facilitate discussion. In HE we don’t often think of people having faith unless they are wearing a symbol. Faith can be invisible, yet we make assumptions. Have a strategy, be prepared for all situations, be open to having discussions about faith. Consider that intersectionality can be harder in larger groups, people feel less confident to discuss their personal needs. Students should feel they can speak, validate their voices.
What other people are doing shouldn’t affect you, you can’t make it compulsory, or agree on the same point. We need to allow multiple views, it is okay to disagree because people will always hold different views, beliefs etc. You can hold opposing views to someone but still respect them and they’re worth. Power structure – how do we respond to it, look out for it and be prepared for how students respond e.g. students transitioning. Ethnic minoritised – is a new term that doesn’t fit anymore. It comes from a place of power. Have strategies – what do we do if these things come up? We need to find our way but things will come up, you will either respond well or not, reflect on that, don’t beat yourself up, you won’t always get it right – hold onto that. You need to be a mirror, ask questions, find out, understand – talk to students, be curious, be open to it all, it’s all work in progress. Respect is key. Any discussion can happen, as long it is done from position of love and respect.
Task 6 – Case Study
‘Sticks and stones may break my bones’ Shades of Noir p105. Relook at this in the context of my own practice, and the advice I would give the students. A member of staff uses the ‘n’ word in a lecture not delivered as part of a quote. Students were not warned, the staff member uses the phrase six times – what actions would I take in my practice? What would I advise students? What policy would respond to this case study? You need to use a trigger word. The staff member apologises, but only after the students went to Shades of Noir – what was the response to students? Take it to the course leader, you need a witness. There is a Twitter feed ‘UAL so white.’ Someone in my discussion group talks about using a blanket apology – she used a Germaine Greer text in a seminar which her students then complained about, she acknowledges as a tutor ‘I’m still learning – thank you for bringing this to me’ an open approach that we hope will be accepted.
- What do we do in a situation like this?
- What policies can we rely on to support these?
Tips, advice, techniques and actions - Tell someone – for students and staff.
- You need a witness.
- Consider impact and intention – it may not have been your intention, but the impact is important.
- Take the time to process – we tend to either respond too quickly or we freeze.
- Make notes – who can I talk to about this? Evidence – don’t do it by yourself – often there is not witnesses but put it all in an email.
- Get advice from someone. Who can I get support from? Don’t beat yourself up.
- Anti-racism action plan – find out what this looks like a Ual.
- KPI Key performance indicator.
- Dignity at work policy.
- GEMS Group for Ethnic Minority Staff.
- Shades of Noir (was a sense of community.)
We are advised to be prepared – learn the terminology, for example: there is a safeguarding issue. For me and my disability – ‘reasonable adjustments’ for a chronic long-term health condition. Say how it made you feel – you can’t dismiss feelings. Speak in the language of high-level, such as – antiracism policy. It is a powerful use of language. You need allies – create a network, a support system. Best practice on racism – call it out, based on power, prejudice and discrimination, it can work both ways. Racism only goes in one direction. ‘Black and British: A forgotten history by David Olosuga. Get the person to think about what they are saying and why – ask what do you mean? Hold them accountable to UAL’s action plan. Go higher – to the program director not your line manager, if required.
“This systemic reality works against building a diverse and inclusive higher education environment because it sup-ports the embedded hierarchical racist paradigms that currently exist in our society. Diversity tends to be more visible within divisions of students affairs, although the power of the institution tends to be centralised within academic affairs where there is less representation of women and people of colour”. Patton et al (2007.)
Today I really started understand white privilege I’ve never really thought about have a group in a white area and white school and what university no one was different race most of the colours of work for majority white men as I’ve got older they’re more women but very little diversity I was shocked by that assistance 1.7% being female professors in the UK I’ve told my children to treat everyone the same yet I’m told this is impossible so where do I go with this white women disabled.
References
Shades of Noir: Higher Power: Religion, Faith, Spirituality & Belief. Social Justice/Buddhism/Queerness. p34-36. Available at: https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/journals/higher-power-religion-faith-spirituality-belief/
DiAngelo, Dr R (2017) Deconstructing White Privilege. Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwIx3KQer54
Tate, S. A. Page, D. (2018) Whiteliness and institutional racism: hiding behind (un)conscious bias. Available at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17449642.2018.1428718
Morgan, R (2018) UK university academics offered ‘white privilege’ lessons. Available at: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/uk-university-academics-offered-white-privilege-lessons/0hw9umvsq
Delgado, R. Stefancic, J (2001) Critical Race Theory, an Introduction. New York University Press. Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5441df7ee4b02f59465d2869/t/5d8e9fdec6720c0557cf55fa/1569628126531/DELGADO++Critical+Race+Theory.pdf
Shades of Noir: Journals. Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones…
p 105. Available at: https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/journals/inclusive-practice/
Sabri, D. (December 2017) Ual report. Students’ Experience of Identity and Attainment p 24-28.
https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/14370/1/year%204%20report%20-%20%20final.pdf
Eddo-Lodge, R. (2018) Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. Bloomsbury Publishing.
University of London. Dignity at Work. Available at:
https://www.london.ac.uk/sites/default/files/governance/Dignity-at-Work.pdf
Ual Anti-racism Strategy. Available at:
https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/strategy-and-governance/anti-racism-strategy
Cochnam, M. (October 2017) Black Tudors: The Untold Story. Oneworld.