I came away from our PGCert session on Race struck by the significance of being able to ‘name racism’, following our group discussions about unconscious bias and racial discrimination.
Miriam’s declaration, ‘I am a racist’ was helpful in shifting the conversation from this statement feeling like an accusation, or a label to be branded with, towards a focus on openness, with each one of us becoming more conscious of the racial prejudices that we possess, in a bid to understand their origins and impacts.
I recalled times where I have sought to dissociate myself from racism, seeking to downplay micro-aggressions, make allowances for people and put things down to ‘unconscious bias’. I wonder if this stems from an internalised racism, of wanting to reject my ‘Asianness’ on some level and seek a proximity to whiteness?
Policy establishes and reinscribes particular ‘regimes of truth’ about what matters in education, and who can be recognisable as successful or failing.“
Bradbury, A
This theme of ‘colour blindness’ and ‘unconscious bias’ was echoed in Bradbury’s report into the negative impact of the Baseline Assessment on EAL Learners in early years settings. It highlighted how Educational policy can appear to be neutral but continues to serve white dominance, and disadvantage minority groups. She explores how Critical Race Theory, ‘ offers an understanding of society as shaped by racism which is endemic, systematic and often unrecognised’
Around the world, policies on EAL learners are ‘wrought with contradiction’ in that they glamorise bilingualism when it involves European languages and higher education, but reject immigrant languages (Leonardo and Hunter 2009, 157)
In his piece for The Telegraph, James Orr interviewed Arif Ahmed, Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom at the Office for Students. Ahmed is sceptical about the role of Advance HE, even going as far as to describe anti-racism work in Universities as ‘Ideological training’, claiming that universities should be neutral about any matters where there is controversy. The problem with his argument is that this perceived ‘neutrality’ again serves the interest of the dominant white culture.
Whiteness positions itself as the norm. It refuses to recognise itself for what it is. Its so-called ‘objectivity’ and ‘reason’ is its most potent and insidious tool for maintaining power. … It is a problem, because we consider humanity through the prism of whiteness”
Reni Eddo-Lodge
Asif Sadiq’s gave an inspiring Ted talk on why traditional diversity training is ineffective, and how we need to look at the role education plays in this failure. During his business education, he wasn’t exposed to role models that looked like him, which had an impact on his confidence, “How can I become something I can’t see?”
This curriculum visibility is something that I’m keen to address in my setting as Stage 2 Lead. Programming VL’s and AL’s is something I do regularly, alongside building research and reference lists for students, and encouraging them to centre their own cultural references.
Sadiq also notes the importance of localised over centralised diversity training, experiential learning, and ‘lifelong journey’ of continuously practising our commitment as opposed to being transformed by a one off ‘mandatory’ workshop.
‘Diversity has never been about us all agreeing, diversity is about about bringing different perspectives, different lived experiences together’
Asif Sadiq
I have also been looking at Shining Lights, Joy Gregory’s new anthology of Black women photographers active in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s. I was surprised at how many of these photographers I had never come across in my own arts education, and how important publications like this are in writing and the work into cultural histories of photography. As Heather Agyepong affirms this, in a chapter on reflections from a new generation of photographers; ‘Growing up I had no knowledge of Black female photographers…As people of colour we are always doing alternative learning’
Last night I read The Magic Callaloo to my daughter. The book is based on the fairy-tale Rapunzel and is inspired by stories of enslaved Africans, who cornrowed maps in their hair used as escapes to freedom. Both these have had me thinking about knowledge sharing and the overlap between publishing and education, and how I might bring this into my intervention.
- References
- Bradbury, A., (2020). A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis: The case of bilingual learners and assessment policy in England. Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(2)
- Orr, J. (2022) Revealed: The charity turning UK universities woke. The Telegraph
- Eddo-Lodge, R (2017) Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, Bloomsbury Circus.
- Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right. TEDx [Online}. Youtube.
- Gregory, J. and Dahmani, T.R. (2024) Then and Now, Reflections on a New Generation Shining lights: Black women photographers in 1980s-’90s Britain. London: MACK & Autograph.
- Cooke, T. and Bass, S. (2024) The Magic Callaloo. London, England: Walker Books.
Hi Nina,
I found your post inspiring and relatable. It was great to think about Sadiq’s statement about a lifelong commitment to anti racism, over a one off training. It reminds me of critical pedagogy, foregrounding a criticality and dialogue within decision making, and it sounds like you are practicing this with your considerations both at work and home. I was also really struck by Critical Race Theory and its ideas around storytelling as a form of knowledge sharing. That seems to be present in the Magic Callaloo and Gregory’s photography anthology and it makes me think how important it is for all students to have access to a broad range of narratives, as this can create dialogue and empathy.l as well as allow for wider representation of role models.
Hi Nina,
I was inspired by the discussion around the role of storytelling as a mode of education and how this educational model intersects with curriculam visibility. I was similarly inspired by Sadiq’s proposal to rethink traditional diversity training: that there is not one static model which can be exported to multiple institutions.
Your analysis of Or’s piece was insightful – I equally was disturbed by the evocation of the ‘neutral’ as synonymous with ‘safe’ and aim to continually challenge this bias in my own teaching practice. Your quotation of Reni Eddo-Lodge sums the problems with this ‘neutrality’ eloquently – will check out this resource.
Hi Nina,
Your posts are always really enjoyable reads and as ever lots to think about and digest. You reminded and transported me right back into that class, of Miriam’s bold declaration and the shift it brought to the conversation about racism, moving it towards openness and self-awareness rather than defensiveness. It’s brave to truly confront our own biases and to seek understanding of their origins and impacts requiring a certain insight, especially regarding issues like ‘colour blindness’ and ‘unconscious bias’s in educational policies as you make reference too later on.
I was really curious to learn your thoughts on internalized racism, grappling with how societies perception intersects with personal identity. (Please correct me if I’m interpreting wrongly). It is so human that consciously or subconsciously, that pressure to downplay parts of oneself in compelling a minority to act like the majority by means of assimilation acts as a real pressure to ‘fit in’ as an act of protection, possibly a safety net, resulting in a detachment from parts of one’s identity and culture. And this idea opens up are reveals so many complexities of the ways in which identity play’s out within ourselves. It sent me down a rabbit hole of examination about generational shame and quiet assimilation in my own feelings about my family history.
I believe I read Orr’s interview slightly differently- as two sides of the same coin maybe, that DEI efforts can be problematic when there are specific narratives’ played out that align with a particular agender, rather than encouraging a genuine dialogue and diverse range of perspectives thus negating ‘all’ free speech. Though I absolutely don’t disagree with your exploration and critique of neutrality in educational settings generally highlighting a crucial point about whose perspectives and experiences are centred in our learning environments. The truth is we need to have a space where all perspectives to be considered and represented.
Thank you for sharing new references, I’m intrigued by your exploration of Shining Lights and its impact on cultural histories in photography. Would love to take a good look! It’s eye-opening how publications such as this can entirely broaden our understanding of underrepresented narratives within our relevant contexts. So so important! Your integration of diverse storytelling, from The Magic Callaloo reflects a really proactive approach to fostering inclusivity and discussion right from the very beginning.
Keep challenging perspectives and advocating for diverse representation— lots of meaningful reflections I shall take away and think about some more.
Best wishes, Becki x