Adult education responses to the ‘othering’ of Muslim identity: Perspectives from Ireland

Abstract

This article explores the 'othering' of an erroneous fixed Muslim identity with an emphasis on its impacts within adult and community education. It examines the geopolitical circumstances that contribute to this othering and argues for the creation of counter-hegemonic, intercultural learning spaces.

Working as a white adult educator, using our own life stories to explore asymmetries of power and privilege

“…More commonly, racial variance is explained through the notion of cultural difference. This is where supposed dissimilarities in customs and behaviours are compared to the sociocultural norms of capitalist economies of the socalled West; economies that have invented themselves as superior to all other ways of being (Said 1978, Kundnani 2014, Fitzsimons 2017b). Even within highly diverse countries such as the US, claims of cultural difference are often used to uphold and perpetuate difference.…”

“…There are other reasons too. Some adult educators can be ill informed about practical changes that promote inclusivity such as an awareness of cultural difference, the importance of diverse visual imagery and the potential to challenge West-centric curricula (Fitzsimons 2017b). But we need to go deeper and explore hook's (1994, p. 30-32) claim that, despite being committed to addressing inequality, many White educators are reluctant to create the antagonisms that are needed to truly challenge racial dimensions of power.…”