What is race? Accordingly to the Critical Race Theory (CRT), “race and races are products of social thought and relations. Not objective, inherent, or fixed, they correspond to no biological or genetic reality; rather, races are categories that society invents, manipulates, or retires when convenient. People with common origins share certain physical traits, of course, such as skin color, physique, and hair texture. But these constitute only an extremely small portion of their genetic endowment, are dwarfed by that which we have in common, and have little or nothing to do with distinctly human, higher-order traits, such as personality, intelligence, and moral behaviour.”
Our first resource is the Shades of Noir (SoN).
It has been great to learn more and more about SoN. It is a very rich resource, with different information and rooted on human experience. In a very short description, it was created by Aisha Richards and it is an independent program that supports: Curriculum design; Pedagogies of social justice through representation; Cultural currency; Accessible knowledge
I have known Shades of Noir since last year, when I was working with the tutor Ocean Baulcombe-Toppin and she shared with me a few links of the online resources. This year I have been having the opportunity to delve into it and research the work it has been done through them. I had already the opportunity to share the terms of reference from SoN around disability with one of my students who was working about issues of inclusion and accessibility.
Throughout this year, I have been advising my students to create their own glossary of terms that are meaningful or interesting for them and, as an example, I showed them the SoN key terms.
I found inspiring listen to Dr Bernadine, on the MA – PGcert cross-programme session on ‘Decolonising Higher Education’, by Dr Danielle Tran, Dr Bernadine Idowu and Nelly Kibirige, when Dr Bernadine said to talk to the students:”ask the students rather than make them feel they need to fit the pocket; ask the students what they want.”.
Reflecting on how can I integrate the research/work students are doing in this subject, I have been emphasising with my students the benefits of peer reviews “Feedback from peers is more likely to be given in language they can understand and causes them to review and question their personal beliefs. Peer feedback may be available more speedily than tutor feedback, and ensures they gain more than one perspective on their work.”(p.29, The Higher Education Academy, 2013). Every term, there’s a session on peer feedback, here the students have the opportunity to share their work in progress and discuss it with their colleagues.
In addition, at the end of each Unit I ask the students for feedback, e.g: something they liked about the unit and something they didn’t like, or they feel it can be changed. I feel that there’s so much value on the thoughts that the students have.
The second resource, A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education: Social Identity Theory, Intersectionality, and Empowerment by Aaron J. Hahn Tapper
Social Identity Theory (SIT) “recognizes the disparities in societal opportunities, resources, and long-term outcomes among marginalized groups”.
One of the core pillars/theory behind this pedagogy from Paulo Freire and his notions on social justice. Freire “contends that education provides venues for students to achieve freedom, both intellectual and physical—the indispensable condition for the quest for human completion”. To do so, Freire underlines that the students ´identities have to be taken in consideration while, the programmes aim to have students teaching each other about “social identities and and intergroup dynamics using critical thought. Here the role of the teacher is facilitating and “guiding students through the process”.
Further down it is explored the relation between Social Identity Theory and Intergroup Encounters. In 1954, Allport come out with one of the fist theories from the field of intergroup education called the contact hypothesis. This theory presupposed that “if individuals identifying with particular groups in conflict interact with one another in a positively structured environment, they have an opportunity to reevaluate their relations with one another such that one-time enemies can become acquaintances or even allies.”
Over time there has been more critiques than support to this theory with arguments such as “if an intergroup encounter is superficial, the interaction will at best be problematic and at worst will leave the two groups in a state of poorer relations than before the contact took place”…”Sometimes such non ideal environments create situations where an intentionally designed encounter results in physical violence between two groups where previously there existed only verbal aggression or no visible relation whatsoever.”
Schollars such as Gordon Allport and Bernard Kramer say that these encounters have to reflect equality. However, others assert that even if all the conditions are equal, “the reality outside the room cannot be controlled, which inevitably shape power dynamics within any given experiment for the works”.
It suggested that it is missing “an exploration of social identities (in contrast to individual identities), power relations, and the relationship between the two (Sonnenschein, Halabi, and Friedman 1998; Abu-Nimer 1999; Maoz 2000a, 2000b; Halabi 2004b).”
In conclusion, The Pedagogy of Social Justice Education is committed to a “moderate form of SIT” which “posits that intergroup encounters must be approached in and through students larger social identities”, since these “structured intergroup encounters reflect or are influenced by the dynamics that exist between the communities… in the larger societies.”
I understand that the reality outside cannot be controlled, however what can I do in my classroom to support social justice?
Considering intergroup education reminded me of one event that I believe it was very successful this year on the Y1 BA fine Art – the fête – it took place before the off site shows. Here the students had an opportunity to speak with other groups, and with tutors about the shows; Advertise their shows to other groups and gather information about other shows; Circulate to see what other groups are doing, co-ordinate private views with them; and organise cross-overs for crits with other groups.
The students were were organised in groups chosen by themselves with similar identities, affinities or common practices. At They felt responsible and for the organisation, because they produced lovely flyers and cooked amazing food. I felt even though, it was in a very institutional room the students were at ease and felt ownership on their actions.
Yesterday, I had the privilege to help with a session on Social Justice organised by Miriam Elgon. In the first part of the session, led by Jheni Airbone, we were asked to introduced ourselves through the lens of Nature, for example, saying the season where we were born; the context of nature in our childhood; How important it is to us now and in what way are we contributing to minimise climate change, etc. Everyone was so at peace introducing themselves. It was so inspiring to listen to what others have to say. That immediately establish common ground. And from then on collaboration have started.
I was thinking that it is such a lovely ice breaker too, that I might do it with my students.
After that there was case studies in harassment and racism. This was discussed in groups and after that ideas to create a policy were discussed. I feel this should be extended to all the courses and each course should reflect on their polices.
Or next resource is Witness: unconscious bias by Josephine Kwhali, part of the UCU black members’ standing committee oral history project.
Josephine questions the unconscious bias in this era, after so many policies and strategies, increasing diversity, what it will take to the unconscious to become conscious? And, if it is unconscious it is a concern and she asks what else do we have to do?
Institutions consciously made some changes to address certain issues like gender representation to improve their profile, however not enough to reach out for example to black minority women or working class women. Josephine says that a “little bit of consciousness might be very welcome” as someone that is black and women.
This made me think of what Professor Shirley Anne Tate and Damien Page wrote about unconscious bias in Whiteliness and institutional racism: Hiding behind (un)conscious bias.: “unconscious bias is an alibi to diminish the recognition, analysis and salience of white supremacy in order to maintain it. This alibi is a wilful silencing which as a political act maintains white innocence at the same time as it enables a white ‘will to forget’ anti-Black and people of colour racism.”
In the same article, one way of dealing with these issues, suggested by Charles Mills (1997), Sullivan and Tuana (2007:2): “[…] tracing what is not known and the politics of such ignorance should be a key element of epistemological and social and political analyses, for it has the potential to reveal the role of power in the construction of what is known and provide a lens for the political values at work in our knowledge practices. […] [We should pay attention to] the epistemically complex processes of the production and maintenance of ignorance.”
Throughout the short videoJosephine Kwhali unveils that she become aware of racism at the age of 4. I was are left with the question how did this happened?
Our next resource is Art and Design is‘Retention and attainment in the disciplines: Art and Design’ Finnigan and Richards 2016.
“Art and design is one of the disciplines with the highest percentages of students leaving with no award (6%) with a disproportionate difference between White students (6%) and Black student groups (Black British Caribbean 9%, Black or Black British African 13%, other Black backgrounds 10%). “
Three main questions emerge from this research linked to specifically to Art and Design:
Why do particular background characteristics of students create disadvantage across the Art and Design disciplinary context? What is happening within the subject discipline of Art and Design to heighten levels of vulnerability leading to lower continuation and or lower attainment rates? What types of activities and interventions are taking place to impact the over-arching differing attainment and retention of students of colour in Art and Design subjects?”
As a tutor group leader on the first year of the BA fine Art, am I contributing to decrease those numbers mentioned ahead? And what am doing?
Going back again to the MA – PGcert cross-programme session on ‘Decolonising Higher Education’, by Dr Danielle Tran, Dr Bernadine Idowu and Nelly Kibirige, now that we are reaching the end of this academic year I am reflecting on each question below, in the TRAAC framework by Dr Danielle Tran:
I have been reflecting, since the beginning of the academic year on the assessment part of the course and how can I make sure I am supportive to the students and fair.
On 4.4. Assessment in Art and Design it is discussed that the group crit is a core practice on assessment and feedback is given in front of an audience.
“The ‘crit’ can be a very intimidating experience for the students, although it is a formative opportunity for them to gain feedback on their work. The ‘crit’ should be seen as a process wherein the community supports the individual to create their work. The work of Blythman, Orr and Blair (2009) which critiques this assessment process also provides a useful guide for Art and Design tutors to use to make more explicit this form of assessment and for it to be used in a more supportive way.
All in all, this form of assessment could have some part to play in the retention and attainment of Art and Design students across the three years, but specifically within the first year of their studies.”
I feel I still have a long way to learn, and perhaps it will be a continuous journey throughout my academic practice. However, I remember being a student and thinking that words matter. And there were words from tutors that really helped me taking my practice further and gave me confidence in risk taking, while others just shut me down and diminished my self-esteem. I feel that next year, in my tutor groups I will talk about the crit, what it is and how it can be helpful. I will also talk about ways of encouraging peers to explore further and critiquing the work in a positive way.
Thinking and questioning now the “pedagogy of ambiguity”in 4.2. Art and Design pedagogies.
I wonder if it has to be counter balanced with doing something the students feel comfortable doing. Too much ambiguity can be counterproductive? And is this ambiguity favouring a certain class of students already confident in themselves? What about less confident students, that too much uncertainty could only cause stress?
In the report it is written that “… students in their first year of study are constantly looking for certainty and reassurance, while staff are encouraging ambiguity and risk taking and expecting a tacit knowledge of how the subject is delivered. They rely on their tutors for guidance and for evaluation of the quality of their work. ”
Thinking about certainty and reassurance at the same time of embracing ambiguity reminded me of a conversation I had with a fine art colleague: we were talking about the idea of encouraging the students on the 1st year to not finish a single work and keep experimentation on. To be specific in the brief, to keek experimentation and researching on all the time during the first year. We haven´t reach a conclusion, but we were wondering if brief like this could work.
O que é isso do privilégio branco? / What is that of the white privilege?
There’s a different feeling when reading in Portuguese. The words have a different meaning and there’s definitely a better understand of concepts that go beyond words such as white privilege. Words whose meaning goes beyond finding synonyms.
It is difficult to explain but if one things that the issue is not being address in the UK, in other countries like Portugal it is miles away from here.
The history, the museums, the schools do not mention slavery, colonialism, or at least the whole story, the statues in the cities show the conquests but not the oppression.
My favourite uncle, Henrique Souto who, born in Mozambique, who unfortunately passed away in 2014 a few months before I emigrated to the UK was one of my biggest sources of inspiration. We would talk for hours about racism and his life. He was a senior Lecturer at University, but when he arrived to Portugal, he said that “they put me to clean bathrooms because I was black”. He was one of the most intelligent people I ever met and I am very grateful that I had him in my life.
The article by M.Lima (who I would like to know more about, but a simple google search was not enough) resonates with me for the obviously reason that is written in Portuguese but also because I felt identified with what was written there. It was great to be able to read it in Portuguese. I underlined above the words I felt identified because the author also talks about the opposite: of feeling that one does not belong because the colour of their skin, language or class, for example.
It was good having this feeling, how great a Portuguese person talking about the things that I am also talking about too! I am reading what this person wrote and I feel it is so inspiring!
It made me think that my colleagues and my students should have the same feeling too. They should have the opportunity to feel inspired when they attend classes, they should have the opportunity to feel they belong when they see, talk or listen to people.
As the author wrote “dizer que todas as pessoas brancas são racistas pose serious um erro e pode ofender mute gente, embora eu como mulher branca e ativista antirracista esteja disposta a admitir que a minha socialização, o meu crescimento, enquanto branca em Portugal me condicionou de tal modo que é provável que involuntariamente o seja. É a minha opinião que espresso com tristeza embora sem sentimento de culpa.
Mas dizer que todas as pessoas brancas são privilegiadas não é uma opinião, é um facto. Esse privilégio só desaparecerá quando houver uma mudança profunda… . Mas é possível abdicar já de um outro privilégio que é o do silêncio.” *
*”To say that all white people are racist might be a mistake and might offend many people, although I, as a white woman and an anti-racist activist, am willing to admit that my socialization, my growth, as a white person in Portugal, conditioned me in such a way that it is likely that I am unintentionally. It is my opinion which I express with sadness but without feeling of guilt.
But to say that all white people are privileged is not an opinion, it is a fact. This privilege will only disappear when there is a profound change… . But it is possible to give up another privilege, which is that of silence.”
Bibliography
Delgado, Richard, and Jean Stefancic. 2001. Critical race theory. New York University Press.
Finnigan, T. and Richards, A., (2016) ‘Retention and attainment in the disciplines: art and design’. York: Higher Education Academy, Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/retention-and-attainment-disciplines-art-and-design (Accessed: 28 June 2022).
HEA Feedback toolkit, 2013. Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/hea-feedback-toolkit (Accessed: 29 June 2022)
Tate, S.A. and Page, D. (2018) ‘Whiteliness and institutional racism: Hiding behind (un) conscious bias’. Ethics and Education, 13(1), pp.141-155. Available at: https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/4621/1/WhitelinessandInstitutionalRacismAM-TATE.pdf (Accessed: 29 June 2022).
Shades of Noir [website] (2010) Available at: www.shadesofnoir.org.uk (Accessed: 29 May 2022).
Shades of Noir (2018) ‘Peekaboo we see you: Whiteness’. Available at http://shadesofnoir.org.uk/peekaboo-we-see-you-whiteness/ (Accessed: 29 June 2022).
(In response to your take on A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education: Social Identity Theory, Intersectionality, and Empowerment by Aaron J. Hahn Tapper)
“What can I do in my classroom to support social justice?” This is also a question I constantly ask myself when I reflect on my teaching practice. I think realization is the very first step we can take in fighting for social justice. We may not be in the position to make policy but simple actions such as encouraging students as well as s to adopt critical thinking through exploring identity may be the minimum we can do.
Thank you for sharing your experience of the session on Social Justice run by Miriam Elgon you attended. The idea of using theme of Nature for participants to introduce themselves is inspiring. It reminds me of how easily we forget about that those fundamental experiences people share in daily life that can be a simple but effective way for people to make connection. I would definitely review my teaching practice and use it as a reminder when planning workshops.
(In responses to your take on SoN – O que é isso do privilégio branco? / What is that of the white privilege?)
Thank you for sharing this article. I would not able to read that in the original version but looking at the image for the article is simple but powerful. “White Silence = Violent” simply illustrate the key message of the article. Thank you for translating some of the text into English. I cannot agree more with what Lima said, ‘But to say that all white people are privileged is not an opinion, it is a fact. This privilege will only disappear when there is a profound change… But it is possible to give up another privilege, which is that of silence.’ It resonates what you also quoted earlier in this post: ‘Professor Shirley Ann Tate wrote about (un)conscious bias in Whiteliness and institutional racism: Hiding behind (un)conscious bias: “unconscious bias is an alibi to diminish the recognition, analysis and salience of white supremacy in order to maintain it. This alibi is a wilful silencing which as a political act maintains white innocence at the same time as it enables a white ‘will to forget’ anti-Black and people of colour racism.”
As Freire argued, ‘self-sufficiency is incompatible with dialogue’. When people do not feel the need to change, they tend to remain silent in order to maintain the current situation that is in favourable to them.
Suki =)
Thank you so much for your comment. I just cannot stretch enough how “illuminating” was for me to read something on my won language. I just got it! You know! I felt it deeper. It help me to understand better!
It immediately made me think about my students: especially from Asian. I have been encouraging my students to say key words that are meaningful to them in their own language and then we work together so I can understand the meaning. And meaning can be understood through so many ways that go beyond language: Through a gesture, through a facial expression. And now we are not talking any more just with words. When this happens we are n the domain of creation. And that happened because I read something in a English journal in portuguese, by a Portuguese person, so I felt deeper!
(In response to your take on A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education: Social Identity Theory, Intersectionality, and Empowerment by Aaron J. Hahn Tapper)
“What can I do in my classroom to support social justice?” This is also a question I constantly ask myself when I reflect on my teaching practice. I think realization is the very first step we can take in fighting for social justice. We may not be in the position to make policy but simple actions such as encouraging students as well as s to adopt critical thinking through exploring identity may be the minimum we can do.
Thank you for sharing your experience of the session on Social Justice run by Miriam Elgon you attended. The idea of using theme of Nature for participants to introduce themselves is inspiring. It reminds me of how easily we forget about that those fundamental experiences people share in daily life that can be a simple but effective way for people to make connection. I would definitely review my teaching practice and use it as a reminder when planning workshops.
(In responses to your take on SoN – O que é isso do privilégio branco? / What is that of the white privilege?)
Thank you for sharing this article. I would not able to read that in the original version but looking at the image for the article is simple but powerful. “White Silence = Violent” simply illustrate the key message of the article. Thank you for translating some of the text into English. I cannot agree more with what Lima said, ‘But to say that all white people are privileged is not an opinion, it is a fact. This privilege will only disappear when there is a profound change… But it is possible to give up another privilege, which is that of silence.’ It resonates what you also quoted earlier in this post: ‘Professor Shirley Ann Tate wrote about (un)conscious bias in Whiteliness and institutional racism: Hiding behind (un)conscious bias: “unconscious bias is an alibi to diminish the recognition, analysis and salience of white supremacy in order to maintain it. This alibi is a wilful silencing which as a political act maintains white innocence at the same time as it enables a white ‘will to forget’ anti-Black and people of colour racism.”
As Freire argued, ‘self-sufficiency is incompatible with dialogue’. When people do not feel the need to change, they tend to remain silent in order to maintain the current situation that is in favourable to them.
It also reminds me what Romanian-born American writer Elie Wiesel wrote, ‘Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.’