As a white British person, I recognise the history and ongoing impact of colonialism, racism, and systemic inequalities. I understand that my whiteness provides me with certain privileges and advantages in society, and that I have a responsibility to critically examine and challenge structures of power and oppression.
The Shades of Noir (SoN) resources, provides an invaluable platform for students’ research and work; encouraging a greater appreciation of diversity within creative industries.
By engaging students in classroom discussions, I can encourage them to share their research findings and perspectives regarding race, identity, representation and social justice. Assigning project-based tasks that utilise the concepts explored by Shades of Noir allows students to explore topics related to diversity and inclusion while honing critical thinking abilities. Invite speakers from Shades of Noir and similar organisations as guest speakers can provide direct access to experts in their fields as well as gain new perspectives from professionals who specialise in them. Collaborative projects and field trips to relevant exhibitions or industry events provide additional incentives for students to apply their knowledge in practical settings. By including Shades of Noir research/work in our learning environment, gives the students valuable insights for future professional practice.
“A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education: Social Identity, Theory, and Intersectionality” (pp 411-417) provided me with a thought-provoking examination of various pedagogical approaches to promoting social justice education. Hahn Tapper highlighted the significance of acknowledging social identity and its effects on students’ experiences and learning; by acknowledging and validating students’ overlapping identities such as race, gender, class or sexuality educators can create inclusive learning environments that respect all their multiple dimensions of identity simultaneously.
The author also discussed intersectionality, which is a word we’re all getting much more familiar with in this journey. This viewpoint stresses the need to move beyond single-axis analyses of identity and consider all of its complex dimensions.
The diagram on Page 426 contained a graphic representation of various systems of power and oppression that exist in society, showing their interconnections. This diagram served as an acute reminder of structural barriers faced by marginalised groups as well as its significance within an educational setting, and reminds me of the concept matrix of domination coined by Patricia Hill Collins (1990).
Engaging with this article and diagram has led me to reflect upon my teaching practice and consider ways that I could incorporate social justice education into my classroom. Motivating me to explore pedagogies that foster critical consciousness among my students while empowering them to challenge oppressive systems – ultimately leading to more social justice within education.
UCU’s ‘Witness: Unconscious Bias’ video had a profound effect on me by raising awareness of unconscious biases’ influence in our daily lives. Through captivating storytelling and relatable scenarios, this video demonstrated how these biases impact perceptions and decisions without us even realising it; prompting me to critically reflect upon my own biases and assess their effect on my teaching practice and student interactions.
By sharing personal accounts, the video highlighted the harmful impacts of unconscious bias on marginalised people, driving home the importance of creating inclusive environments in educational settings where students feel valued and heard. Watching this video gave me a strong sense of personal accountability to actively challenge my own biases.
Applying the “Witness: Unconscious Bias” video in my teaching practice could raise awareness and address unconscious biases within my classroom. For instance, using it as a discussion starter to engage students in discussing stereotypes and their effects on learning; or use it to promote self-reflection among my pupils by inviting them to explore their own biases and consider how they might affect interactions among peers.
Finnigan and Richards (2016) in ‘Retention and attainment in the disciplines: Art and Design’ present valuable insight into improving student retention and attainment, drawing two key lessons from this text. First, creating inclusive environments where students feel at home is integral to their success, fostering their sense of belonging while encouraging collaboration can dramatically increase retention rates. And secondly, curriculum relevance and flexibility are of the utmost importance – by aligning the curriculum to students’ needs and aspirations while leaving room for personalisation and individual exploration, engagement and motivation can increase significantly. However, the article leaves me questioning its broad applicability and practical implications across different educational contexts. Additionally, I am intrigued by any possible challenges or considerations that may arise and have since expanded my perspective by inspiring me to discover innovative methods of building community.
I read the article ‘A White Terrorist’, by Suzette Dorrielan (2017) in SoN. I found myself deeply moved by this article as it led me down a journey of reflection upon its author’s experiences and perspectives. It reminded me vividly of differences in reactions to terrorist attacks depending on race or ethnicity. As a white person, I realised my privilege of not experiencing the anxiety and fear experienced by people of colour. This article poignantly described the mental toll and preparations individuals from marginalised communities go through, anticipating an attacker and their potential consequences. It also illustrated how media representation contributes to reinforcing racist narratives, while government agencies continue to reinforce them. For me, personally It emphasises the need for understanding and empathy in breaking down racial barriers and striving toward an inclusive society. It also serves as a reminder that experiences and reactions to global events vary among individuals; encouraging me to listen, learn, and advocate for a more just and compassionate environment.
Although I often return to this question of “how do I put these theories into practice?” but through this blogging journey I’ve come to see that there’s not just one single answer but rather multiple approaches existing simultaneously, and once foundations are laid correctly we can continue building upon (and learning) as part of the ongoing nature of this work.
References:
Collins, P. H. (1990). Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. Unwin Hyman.
Dorrielan, S (2018) ‘A White Terrorist’, Peekaboo We See You: Whiteness, Shades Of Noir. Available at: https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/journals/peekaboo-we-see-you-whiteness/ (Accessed: 19 June 2023).
Finnigan, T. and Richards, A. (2016) Retention and attainment in the disciplines: Art and Design. Advance HE.
Hahn Tapper, A. J. (2013) ‘A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education: Social Identity Theory, Intersectionality, and Empowerment’, Conflict Resolution Quarterly, 30(4), pp. 411–445. doi: 10.1002/crq.21072.
Shades of Noir (no date) Shades Of Noir, Shades Of Noir. Available at: https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/ (Accessed: 14 June 2023).
UCU – University and College Union (2016) Witness: Unconscious Bias, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6XDUGPoaFw (Accessed: 15 June 2023).
Your reflective commentary is deeply insightful, demonstrates an active commitment to challenge systemic inequalities and promote diversity and inclusion in the classroom setting. It is commendable how you not only recognise your privilege as a white British person, but are proactive in using it to address the structures of power and oppression in our society.
I very much like the idea of embedded project-based tasks using Shades of Noir resources, and wonder how this might play out in your own setting as well as my own classroom. I’m really interested by your mention of Patricia Hill Collins’ matrix of domination as I’m currently exploring intersectionality in identity education. As you say, there are multiple approaches to tackling some of these issues, and I’m curious how they might play out in your own setting, as well as Artefact.
I can definitely relate that these blogging tasks have allowed us to grow and explore areas that we may not have known how to approach in the past, these activities should makes us better in our practises.