July 2022-word count 1524

Shahpar Abdollahi Inclusive Unit-PGCERT

Reflection on Inclusive practice Unit learning Journey:

My Journey- Reflection on the past and how it shaped my Positionality:

My ongoing reflection on my teaching practice and how my PGCERT and inclusive learning Unit has led me to critically think on my own background. This reflection for sure will be impacting my teaching as although I was always conscious of my background and what led me to be the teacher I am today, admittedly I have never consciously questioned aspects like inequality in education from gender, race, religious and even more so from intersectionality perspective so deeply and consciously up to now. Perhaps this current Unit-Inclusive Practice- also led me to question my own role in society and how my professional role as educators can facilitate to help my students to feel at ease in teaching environment and find their inner confidence and voice trough listening to themselves and their peers in democratised way? This also has led me to think our role as teachers and educators is to build community and make the focal point of our learning to becomes more of an empathetic, co-creative, way rather than teachers taking more of a central and focal position. I wonder what we can do to build a community with our fellow students, the one being built on trust and shared knowledge, which draws parallel lines with what Tapper Social justice in Higher education (2013) paper calls in for new co-creative way of teaching.

But let’s visit the past: This reflection takes me to a long journey visiting my education background back in my home country in Iran. Growing up through a revolution and a war-torn country. Back in 80s education system back home tried to somehow decolonise western education from the system, but more so by bringing in a lot of one-sided religious verses and incorporating Arabic and Islamic history as a way to promote Shiism as on the core education backbone in Iran. I must admit being born to a lesser religious family background made me always question the imposing new educational system (alongside the old) and wondered how censorship and dominat religious education could make us to seek further available sources of knowledge as other point of refernce. After finalising my postgraduate degree in one Iranian State university I certainly realise I needed a fresher and further approach to my one-sided education to that date. Thus, I embarked on a new journey and came to the Netherlands for postgrad, and then UK for my Research degree in Business and Management discipline.

Reflection on Inclusive Practice Unit

When I moved to the Netherlands for my second postgraduate degree, the idea of being an outsider as an Iranian and Muslim woman somehow got fizzled by simply as a non-practicing Muslim rebellious side of me, as I thought I can push my feminist ideology of education and feel comfortable and be who I want to be. Again, once I came to the UK and started my research degree my identity focus shifted yet again. This time as a Middle Eastern researcher (not necessarily Muslim) but certainly a woman and thought how I can fulfil my dreams in higher education being a role model for those women who come from my part of the world to pursue their dreams.

Perhaps this resonates deeply, that as an Iranian female academic who was raised during a war and Iranian revolution, both religion and my cultural heritage played a close role in shaping my belief in education, women’s power and yet feeling intimidated on how your role as a woman comes short in a society specially in Middle eastern society due to many societal restrictions which could be hidden or not so hidden.

 It has been almost 2 decades since I have been involved in UK higher education either in the form of international research student or an educator in Business area on UK higher education. This brings me to reflect deeply on my positionality.  It makes me realise my own complex identity, its dynamic nature and how I can make a stance and a positive change by understanding others similarly diverse identities in an institution like UAL that hosts students from different backgrounds.

This Unit (Inclusive Practice) somehow in a very conscious way opened my eyes to prejudice towards minorities and lack of acceptance in a wider sense in a society we live in, and it makes me reflect what is our role as educators to facilitate a social justice education way of co-creation with our students? This could be due to the fact that trough education we might be learning to break existing prejudice or overcome career obstacles and make our student co-hort to feel their place in making that change.

Reflection on the Present and how I can be useful?

The inclusive Unit overall has given me an insight to the degree of discrimination we are faced in UK Higher education (Adams, 2017), and in that matter any other Western Education System (Jiang, 2020). Through the unit we have reflected upon and discussed on how white-privilege and Western Universities past colonial backbone still carries on and this has imposed its white supremist view on Higher Education in wider sense (Bhopal, 2018). Through the Critical Race Theory (CRT)(Bell, 1980) we have been analysing and blogging what needs to be considered and reflected upon when being at a position of shift bearer as an educator in Higher Education.

This made me realised the more I dug in and read through, all my so-called neutral space of teaching fades into an un-neutral and biased apace. My untrained eyes on my adopted educational found mecca  starts to crumble and yet see through the inequality of our student communities, especially those coming from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Through reading and educating myself on aspects like race, disability, gender, and religion this new lens,  it has become obvious, whilst education for any social class offers its challenges, it is even more so challenging to fulfil that dream once coming from further and more diverse background, this makes me reflect on my role and ever-changing face of modern education. Based on Social Justice theory of education (Tapper, 2013), perhaps one positive way forward would be to embrace our shifting role as educators which would morph us towards facilitators rather than education imposers.

In line Freire (2006) pinpoints of the change in educator’s role. He highlights the true change will come through a democratise approach of pedagogy. Accordingly deep learning is not achieved through a depository process, thus it could be experienced and expressed through sharing, co-creating and co-learning with ones students  rather than dominating and imposing ones view (Rozas, 2007).

Reflection on Arteffect creation

Through this, we can sense sometimes the attempt being made on behalf of educational system and organised policies that has only contributed to further societal inequality (Savva, 2017).  In other words the impact of certain policies have resulted in lesser chances for more vulnerable and diverse part of society resulting the dominance of whites in sphere of education, and socio economic dominance (Bonilla-Silva 1997). In similar sense could all students bring an example of a Company who demonstrates diversity on their marketing practice and to what extent they stand by it, and how students think this brand represents their community.

My in-groups of collegue feedback on this reflection and  peer cohort were very positive on the process. My question in particular was to ask them to help me shape this workshop in a sense all students of all diverse background feeling part of Fashion marketing Student community and share their experience and thoughts within group of best practice/ not necessarily best practice. One peer kindly suggested to run the workshop based on object-based learning.

Upon reflection I think it might dilute the impact of critical thinking if object-based practice becomes the focal point here. My main point of this workshop is to push students of all backgrounds (International and home and mainly BAME) to think out of the box and reflect on positive role models changing the inclusive face of Fashion Industry in a positive way. Thus, perhaps shifting the focus to object-based learning steals the message from critical analysis of sustainable and diversity practice (Appendix2).

I am also so grateful of Jhinuk who took time to listen to my reflection and doubts on my journey for this unit which I massively enjoyed and value her final recommendation saying, think how you will use all your learning in your practice?

To answer the above, going forward:  we need to think critically and be more conscious how to attend to the existing gap amongst BAME group of students and the rest of cohort. How we can incorporate more modern and new ways of education and the way we teach, interact, intermediate and share knowledge in a democratic and modern educational space. We constantly need to be open to receive feedback from our co-hort students and look into to what extend we incorporate co-creation in our classes. Hopefully this will be going be the topic of my next term’s action research topic for  PGCERT.

Bibliography:

Bell, D. A. (1980). Brown v. Board of education and the interest-convergence dilemma. Harvard Law Review, 93(3), 518–33. https://doi.org/10.2307/1340546

Bhopal, K (2016) The experiences of BME academics in higher education: a comparative study of the unequal academy. Routledge: London and New York;

Bonila-Silva, E., “Rethinking Racism: Toward a Structural Interpretation”, American Sociological Review, Vol 62, no. 3, PP. 465-480;

Delgando, R., & Stefancic, J. (2001). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York University Press. 

Freire, P. 2006. Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 30th anniversary ed. New York: Continuum;

Finnigan and Richards, (2016), ” w ‘Retention and attainment in the disciplines: Art and Design’, HE Academy; Accessed June 2022:https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.creode.advancehe-document- nager/documents/hea/private/ug_retention_and_attainment_in_art_and_design2_1568037344.pdf;

Henderson & Harmeling, (2021), 7 months after George Floyd’s death, corporations are still ‘diversity washing’ instead of making actual changes, Accessed at July 2022: https://www.businessinsider.com/diversity-washing-greenwashing-george-floyd-corporations-black-lives-matter-2021-1?r=US&IR=T

Jiang, S., ( 2020) , “ Diversity without integration? Racialization and spaces of exclusion in international higher education” , British Journal of Sociology of Education, pp. 32-47

 

Rozas, C. (2007), “The Possibility of Justice: The Work of Paulo Freire and Differences”, Studies in philosophy and Education 26, PP. 561-70;

Savva, M., (2017), “Learning to teach culturally and linguistically diverse students through cross-cultural experiences” Intercultural Education, Vol 28, issue 3, PP. 269-282;

Tapper (2013) “A pedagogy of social justice education: social identity”, Theory and Intersectionality’, PP. 411-417

The Proposed Artefact:

The Artefact has been presented in Appendix 1. Which is a workshop on critique of Brands diversity washing. How students can find good examples and defend the chosen brands or criticise the ones who are misleading them in their marketing campaigns. Appendix 2 is direct response on the plausibility of the offered artefact.

Peer to Peer discussion recording:

https://artslondon-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/r/personal/alex_campbell_fashion_arts_ac_uk/Documents/Recordings/Peer%20to%20Peer%20Review-20220712_141100-Meeting%20Recording.mp4?csf=1&web=1&e=r8q8HO

Appendix 1

BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing

2022-23

Seminar Plan for FMS (Fashion Marketing Strategy) Y3

Week 7 Thursday 7^th  of November 2022

Session topic: Diversity In Fashion Branding _seminar Activity

Seminar title: The changing role of Marketing Branding

Link to assessment: Assessment

Link to theory: branding theory-Greenwashing/ Diversity Washing

Seminar task: Individual and group task

 Pre-class learning activities:

Read this article: Fashion And Beauty Brands Embracing Diversity In Their Marketing Designs by clicking the two  links below:

Fashion And Beauty Brands Embracing Diversity In Their Marketing Designs

https://www.forbes.com/sites/aslaugmagnusdottir/2020/11/17/the-time-is-now-for-diversity-in-fashion/?sh=2aeb249a6dc2

Please choose a fashion brand of your choice to bring in to the class  (This could be an international brand from your home country / Home brand who has a diversity stance in Branding)

Seminar Plan:

Goal: How Inclusivity washing is turning into new buzzword

✓ 40 minutes

In small groups each of you should introduce and brief the group members of one chosen brand which you think Does Inclusivity branding best.

▪ Please discuss the following:

1. 1.Please offer the chosen brand to the group and explain why you have chosen this brand.
2. What are positive aspects you think the brand is doing
3. To what extend you think they are diversity washing? Be as critical you wish with evidence.
4. How do you feel about these brands who make inclusivity their focal aspect of Marketing?
5. How does that impact you as a consumer to these brands?  
6. Do you see your own identity has got a place in the way this brand tells its story? Discuss…

10 min

Discuss and reflect on your conclusions in the larger class. Upload the answer to assigned Padlet.

Appendix 2:

Plausibility of offered artefact by answering the indicative questions.

When choosing your artefact consider the following questions:

• What aspects of diversity do you want the staff, students or colleagues to consider and why?

Going back to Tapper’s (Tapper, 2013)work I would like students to reflect on their own identity and inclusivity stance and bring their perception of a right minded brand who is taking foot on the right direction. Equally to be critical of the companies who do diversity through lip service. I am hoping this will create warm, inclusive debate in the class that students want to share their own finding with their co-hort.

• How does it link to your course curriculum, departmental strategy or PRAs?

The designed seminar is aligned with my Fashion Marketing Strategy Unit  (BAFMAK-FMS) material and I am hoping through this learning and exposure my Year 3 students will take these learnings to expand this topic  for the FMP( Final Major Project Unit) and  hopefully conduct successfully diverse research on diverse Brands and branding strategies from Fashion Marketing perspective.

During this unit we have been exposed to very sad and fascinating truth of existing education gap of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) groups and we have encouraged to critically think of ways to alienate these existing gaps which even falls deeper in Art and Humanities discipline (Finnigan and Richards 2016). This could be due to existing cultural capital (Bourdiou,1986) being solely accessible to  white demographic members of society.

• When would it be most useful to deliver or implement?

I am planning to deliver this seminar on Week 7 of Academic Year 22-23, which is the Second week of myself running the Unit. This way students have already got a clear Idea of definitions of Marketing Strategies and Branding and they can start to look into diversity best practice in the industry.

As well big idea for this is through searching for best practice in diversity, students can revisit their own identity and how they can see themselves part of brand’s story telling.

• What do staff, students or colleagues think about the artefact?

This will be first time running and I am very keen in particular to ask this question from my student co-hort in their Unit evaluation. For sure I will also incorporate the question on the day but the real test will come when students have finalised the Unit and they need to reflect on different seminars.

As for Colleagues, I will also intend to bring their attention to this and how we can use such icebreakers and activity to promote more interactive community.

• How do you intend to evaluate and critique its implications, success and impact?

Through Unit evaluation and on the session. Hopefully their feedback will empower me to incorporate more positive changes for the years ahead. One thing I am sure this is the beginning of the positive change.

Becoming a knowledge facilitator not a teacher? Is this a question to be posing ourselves?

The varied and rich sources created by different contributing writers of SoN (Shade of Noir) is rich, enticing and fantastic source to be read as educators and being introduced to student community. According to Freire (2006) which condemns the banking system of teaching, we should stop to consider teachers and educators as true depository of education and more so engage in more of a democratise and co-creational approach to which we share, review and re-educate ourselves. As educators we should forget our central role to dictate and lead the flow of ideals and conversation but try to mediate and facilitate a rich learning experience trough more field trips, reflective writing, various background guest speakers and peer to peer conversation. Help them to create their own content without the bias of reading only certain restrictive resources. Redefine the boundary of knowledge in a classical way perhaps. For that matter we need to see our students as co-creators of our learning journey than passive agents. We must consider the role of identity in shaping our learning journey and let their and our identities be central part of very own learning journey. By adopting our positionality as teachers and students we can engage in far deeper conversation.

perhaps by sharing resources like SoN through student reflective journeys through their identities, interesting case studies we will build upon mutual understanding and share more . Perhaps by having more open discussions that might create even wider and deeper conversation. I think SoN is a step in right direction by teaching us how to reflect on our own and students journey.

Sharing such resources will also open the eyes of other students from all ethnicity to reflect and think of inequality we face in society and perhaps how we can address it?

This read is fascinating as through the existing data on student retention and attainment writers have discussed the existing gap between retained students in arts vs other disciplines. This is alarming and more so for me as a lecturer who have been engaged with LCF from HPL capacity from 2015. As a full time lecturer in LCF I am delighted to come across such interesting insight. Accordingly :”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%).” (Finnigan and Richards,2016: PP. 4).

Cultural Capital :

The writers explain the existing gap could be due to “Cultural Capital”. Cultural capital could be explained as social asset of a person which comprises of education, intellect, style of speech and style of dress, etc, that promotes social mobility within a stratified society. The term was coined by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu back in 1970s , who developed the idea to explain how power in society was transferred and social classes are maintained.

From Bourdieu’s perspective the more capital one has, the more social status one will earn in a society. In a modern society schools are promoted to increase cultural capital of the society, in a sense to promote knowledge exchange on part of an individual who is knowledgeable in wider range of cultural topics and willing to discuss the values it promotes. Of course this can be achieved through vast array of experience and access to skill development. Baghat and O’Neill (2011) discuss the pervasive nature of cultural capital in arts education, arguing the art’s discipline main focus is on talent rather than privilege.

However interestingly Sabri’s research indicate else and she discusses albeit all encompassing façade promoted in Art discipline, there is an exclusionary nature of the art education which can be explained on the attainment gap we are facing in the discipline (Sabri, 2015).

Inclusive Curriculum and self Identity:

Apparently reflecting on ones identity and creating the work in accordance to what is expected from Art and design Disciple students. However the nature of the real practice tends to differ according to findings (Sabri, 2015). Sabri’s work demonstrate getting the higher grade would require students to follow certain tutoring guidelines, the result might be contradictory to what needs to be achieved as one needs to follow tutorial guideline rather than reflecting on self identity.

Bhagat and O’Neill (2011) discuss perhaps in order to reflect on new type of education HE institutes need to priorities Inclusivity practice in their core, the result might enhance students self identity on their work. Thus as a new mandate perhaps HE needs to move forward and create an inclusive practice and transformative culture. In the article the authors acknowledge positive changes in research practice of the HE research which has been more successful in adopting and attracting further funding in the discipline (Richards and Finnigan, 2015).

The question to ask:

How could we embrace and institutionalise Inclusive practice in a forward looking manner? How could we create and implement real mechanisms to cement the real changes in HE.

How could we practice decolonising curriculum in our way of teaching?

Refernces:

Bhagat, D. and O’Neill, P. (2011b) Writing Design. In: Deane, M. and O’Neill, P. (eds.) Writing in the
Disciplines. Hampshire: Palgrave-MacMillan, pp. 174–94;

Finnigan and Richards, (2016), ” w ‘Retention and attainment in the disciplines: Art and Design’, HE Academy; Accessed June 2022:https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets.creode.advancehe-document- nager/documents/hea/private/ug_retention_and_attainment_in_art_and_design2_1568037344.pdf;

Sabri, D. (2015) Students’ Practice and Identify Work at UAL: Year 2 Experiences. Year two report of a fouryear longitudinal study.

A powerful documentary made on Students journey and their experience to be part of the minority and face racial judgment from their peers and faculty members. It is utterly sad , devastating, moving and yet very true based on what we have read and learned in this unit. The participants make us aware of some issues impacting black and other minority students enrolled in Rhode island School of design. Students have been interviewed to reflect on their experience as black and racial minorities and comments on racial bias and lack of transparency they have faced during their time at college. They touch base on multiple topics including lack of academic critique when it comes to artistic pieces that has to do with black art and artists. Perhaps the prevalent attitude towards facing any non white topic is to tiptoe around it and brush it off under carpet.

Further on the documentary is also on the lonely and isolating experience of very few black , Asian minority who have enrolled in the course .

What I found striking towards the end of documentary, one of the students point out to the fact that if a minority of students are enrolled on a certain subject, they get nasty comments on their background. The comments gearing towards their place has been offered based on filling a quota rather than merit. The quote saying you become a number rather than an individual pursuing a certain topic.

Another very powerful point being raised is the judgment towards colored students . If a privileged white student/ faculty member raises their voice tone this would comes across as a voice of power and confidence. This is not the same when an student from minority background including Black/Asian American student would do that, as it will portray an angry individual.

In the end I can attest the documentary was simple and powerful by observing and demonstrating the pain and frustration experienced by number of young and talented students who saw the discrimination and wanted to talk us trough their isolating, upsetting and unpleasant experience.

Finally documentary also addresses lack of decolonised curriculum in higher education institution. Students being interviewed in documentary comment on lack of diversity n the taught subjects . In other words not much is discussed on an African art piece, Asian feminist figures , just to avoid any relevance to race. This again on it own right demonstrates the polarized and unidimensional curriculum being taught in higher education.

Finally I can summarise the topics being discussed on touched upon in the documentary:

1- Racismsand lack of discussion in classroom on topics of Race;

2- White privilege;

3- Decolonisation;

Do we have a solution?

perhaps it is better to talk about these issues rather than hiding them and tiptoeing on the racial topics .

This video reflect back to all the reading and articles related to our lecture we had on decolonising higher education. Professor Shirley Anne tates videos and writing on the topic that :this unconscious bias is not really an unconscious any more and society can not use this as a lame excuse in order not to deal with existing issues on race and faith and gender inequality? One Major question to ask ourselves and perhaps to ask from our own wider society is :

Has the time not come to stop all these excuses and act like responsible society towards respecting and believing our our mutual human norms ?

Critique of A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education:
Social Identity Theory, Intersectionality,
and Empowerment

The article explores a theoretical and practical exploration of social justice through case studies. Paul Freire (2006) discusses education is the key for enacting social justice in society. Achieving freedom though intellectual and physical routes is key role for education. Freire (2006) emphasizes the role education can play in either hindering or liberating individuals in society. The true learning might be better explored and achieved through more of a democratised way of learning rather depository way that teacher can play. through sharing and guiding teachers and educators can become the medium of change rather than dominating and dictating certain idealism (Rozas, 2007). Most effective and long lasting impact in learning comes when students co-create their educational process with their educators all along (Freire; 2006). Reading Tapper (2013) article that he discusses the important of SIT(Social identity Theory) theory. A theory contributed by Henry Tajfel (1979). Tajfel suggests through the group membership we can relate to our own social identity. Tajfel argues groups (family, communities, schools, etc…) which people belonged to are important part of shaping their identities. Henri Tajfel proposed that stereotyping is based on a normal cognitive process: the tendency to group things together. In doing so we tend to exaggerate:

1- the difference between the groups;

2- the similarities within each group;

In addition one of the theories emerging on intergroup and relating to social justice is the one Allport (1954) proposes. One of the first theories emerging on intergroup dynamics was contact hypothesis (Allport, 1954) . Accordingly he proposes in order to break the mold of ingroups norms , individuals need to find way to interact with their outer-groups . This will give them opportunity to reevaluate their own beliefs and norms and work their way towards more constructive conversation. The theory assumes most of the perception we hold from other groups we do not feel we belong to.

Further on, one way for intergroups to interact and create a shared collective understanding is through understanding a larger group identifies as human values we share rather than within group solid norms (Halabi, 2004).

Hence we can relate and root back to SIT theory (Social Identity theory) to contact hypothesis and assert human identity is more shaped by their membership of group rather than their own individual beliefs, thus it becomes even more important the intergroups starting to relate to each other in more of a wider sense than very narrow norms they can define (i.e., believing in our shared common ethical normal in wider sense than ethnicity norms )

In other words one way to deal with making two intergroups to interact, might be making to reflect them on intersectionality. that might makes group members from opposing beliefs to start relating to each other through living shared experience. Relating to common identities that might shape us as wider group sense.

Nonetheless I would like to conclude perhaps the best way to create a true social justice educational system is offering “experiential education ” which promotes more of ongoing dialogue between students and their embedded environment. In other way for them to create content and share with fellow students they should be exposed to wealth of text studies, case studies, guest speakers, field trips and interactive activities that can shape a resourceful, rich bed of conversation.

Discuss 2 things you leaned from the article:

1- the SIT (Social Identity Theory) use in wider sense. As humans we can interact and relate to intergroups more in wider sense than narrower definition of our identities. We need to value our humanity and the ethics human societies abide by. As a middle-eastern woman I have many identities that I can relate to in order to connect a fellow Jewish woman academic. Perhaps the art of connection is to relate to similarities as humans and give less emphasis to limiting ethnic mentality?

2- Use and relevance of “Experiential education” in wider sense. As the article looks into different aspects of democratising way of learning and the evolutionary approach towards education we might reflect further on the changing role of teacher and educators as medium of change rather than leading figure for change. Through our own lived experience as students and educators at the same time , we can share and co-create our shared experience of learning with our wider community.

The question to pose: How can we make “experiential learning ” into an accepted norm into most of our way of teaching in higher education?

Resources:

Allport, G. 1954. Th e Nature of Prejudice. Cambridge, MA: Addison-Wesley;

Freire, P. 2006. Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 30th anniversary ed. New York: Continuum;

Halabi, R. 2004. “Reconstructing Identity through the Encounter with the Other: Th e Facilitators’ Training Course.” In Israeli and Palestinian Identities
in Dialogue: Th e School for Peace Approach, edited by R. Halabi. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Rozas, C. (2007), “The Possibility of Justice: The Work of Paulo Freire and Differences”, Studies in philosophy and Education 26, PP. 561-70;

Tapper (2013) ‘A pedagogy of social justice education: social identity, theory and intersectionality’, Pp. 411-417

Tajfel, H., Turner, J. C., Austin, W. G., & Worchel, S. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. Organizational identity: A reader, 56-65;

The SON article has given a case of a female Muslim student with Iranian origin who has been subject to harsh judgment over her personal beliefs since she has chosen to wear hijab in classroom. In one of her art based classes that she has created an art reflecting on Hijab some students comments have been upsetting and it has not been an easy process for her. The case also demonstrate the instructor has openly shared his view of secularity in a non democratic way, making the student feel there is no room for debate. This has left a void in the class making Aalimah vulnerable to some of the harsh judgment of her classmates.

The case makes us reflect on the crucial role educational institutes specially Higher education play in giving society a tolerance cushion. If as a society we keep on discussing about tolerance and sharing different points of view, it will be very hypocritical not to allow people to adhere and practice their faith in confident manner.

T

According to case :”According to a report by Tell MAMA anti–Muslim attacks
and abuse in public spaces rose by 326% in 2015, with
women being disproportionally targeted. One in 10 of
all incidents reported to the organisation happened in
educational establishments. (The Guardian, 2016)”. the alarming part of the article is when women are the direct target for these attacks. This statistics is alarming and it makes me reflect even deeper that as educators the big role I have is the one to create safe and happy educational environment for my students. As an immigrant Iranian woman I can relate to Aalima’s frustration . Although I am a non-practicing and non religious person, I find it very off topic and cruel to pass on judgment on students faith during classroom or student facing time. Nonetheless the case is very reflective of the privileges we hold as educators and call upon us to be even more conscious of protecting and giving voice to our class ethical and religious minority. To be neutral and reflect on that position will give room and open space for discussion of different point of views, which should be the bedrock of any higher education institution.

Resources: Guardian, 2017: accessed June 2022: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/20/record-number-anti-muslim-attacks-reported-uk-2017

This was an eye opener and source of joy to listen to renowned philosopher Kwame Appiah. In this one hour lecture he draws the line on interpretation from religious scripturas and he argues if they would not be open for interpretation , they would not be useful tools to guide people.

He draws his argument on the most basic religious arguments which has created disagreement even amongst religious leaders from the same faction. One example to that is Kosher/ Halal fish. Fish with scale are Kosher friendly and no scale are not….sounds very clear cut or not? What about fish with weird scales …like Estrogen? And the list goes on the bird list from Torah .

the priest and scholars often want to insist that the doctrine that they are the masters of drives practice. But interestingly, it is often it is to ignore the reverse practice that indeed doctrine driven by the practice , through forms of worship, familiar feelings and traditions of social regulations.

Practice although changes overtime and this could happen slowly or quickly, and thus change practice could lead to change belief. Scripture passages could get new interpretations and if they can not adopt they can are forgotten and abandoned. Put it this way, if by this standard we still were practicing a passage such as : slaves should submit themselves to their masters however they are cruel…

For that matter it is important to realise if scriptures are not open for interpretations they will lose their ability to guide people through centuries. In a sense when it comes to their survival their openness is their way of sustaining themselves through test of time. If not we can easily lay prey to the fundumentalist way of thinking assuming there is only one way of practicing assuming the type of religion we choose to abide by.

How could you apply this to my own teaching and practice?

As a non religious person of Muslim background I wholeheartedly agree with professor Appiah in a sense religious should give us the way we find peace and tolerance rather than a medium which divides us and devises as as human race. This view can teach us to reflect on tolerance and acceptance of each others views and not to hold ours superior to the rest .

Religion is Public and not a Private good

According to the text religion has always played an important role in British public life, but this has changed in more recent years. In a sense we should be happy the religious fights between different sectors of Christianity is over and British Catholics got offered full British rights back in 19th century. Back in mid 20th century archbishop of Canterbury , William Temple was the foremost clergyman advocating a Social Welfare state and the obligation to build such system… Fast forward to most recent years it seems here in Britain we are aiming more towards dismantling the Social Welfare system rather than building it up…

Religion has not vanished from British public life but certainly marginalised and one question to ask is: how it will impact the society. Professor Mahmood also mentions the important role of state by advocating religious as a binding element in society and its role of a National church/ churches as key organisers of public goods. In this he has taken positive examples of the active role Lutheran church plays in Danish public life even though majority of Danes do not identify themselves as practicing Christians, yet they could organise and attend weddings and funerals through church . This cements the national church and their role in public life even in more secular and accepting society.

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism heralds the acceptance towards different type of religions celebrated by all walks of society in todays Britain. It is initially associated with new social movement and identity politics of gender, sexuality and race in Western Europe it is mainly has been recognised as institutional accommodation of post immigration and ethno- religious minorities. Multiculturalism involves reversal of marginalisation. In a sense it is an attempt to remake national citizenship for all ethnic groups living in Britain feel part of society and not to be marginalised.

However with the emergence of Islamic radicalism, multiculturalism as a concept has found itself at the forefront of the debate as less popular approach since it could be used as a medium to help voice fundamentalist’s view in a more secular society.

Although Multiculturalism is beyond toleration , and it involves active support of cultural divergence, and revolves around building a cultural bridge in order to create a healthy atmosphere of dialogue between all parts of society including those ethnic minorities feeling marginaliased due to their different religions and ethnic background.

What is important to note is this multiculturalism can manifest itself in a positive way through listening to the demands of different religions groups, encouraging dialogue between these groups. Moreover it can also manifest itself through funding Muslim churches / schools, and bringing governance and promoting inter-faith relations at all level of public life.

Question to be asked form the Text:

How multiculturalism can help to advocate and embrace other aspects of non religious tolerance including LGBT rights and their presence and impact on public religious life if they choose to practice?