The university went to ‘decolonise’ and all they brought back was lousy diversity double-speak! Critical race counter-stories from faculty of colour in ‘decolonial’ times

Abstract

The University went to 'decolonise' and all they brought back was lousy diversity double-speak! Critical race counter-stories from faculty of colour in 'decolonial' times.

The Limits of Resilience and the Need for Resistance: Articulating the Role of Music Therapy With Young People Within a Shifting Trauma Paradigm

“…While crucially informed by decolonial scholarship, my aim is not to “decolonize” trauma-informed care, or music therapy. I wish to make this point explicit, because this conceptual analysis comes at a point of palpable academic and institutional attention toward “decolonization” ( Doharty et al, 2020 ). Within this context, I am mindful that efforts and agendas to “decolonize” that are assumed by white and non-Indigenous individuals, institutions, movements, and professions tend to be engaged with superficially.…”

“…The overuse, appropriation, and commodification of “decolonizing” discourse do not render decolonization any less urgent. Rather, it necessitates careful delineation of the difference between superficial engagement vs. genuine disruption and overturning of power structures ( Doharty et al, 2020 ). Further, it requires a deep and genuine examination of whiteness and the practices of scholars who produce knowledge in ways that uphold white structures.…”

Radical Flexibility and Relationality as Responses to Education in Times of Crisis

“…Trust is not something one gives, but something one does, and the reciprocal nature of it means that it works both ways, that both institution and faculty, as well as learners, can practice trust. Trust is not something that can be granted through statements or declarations without meaningful action, which partially explains why so many individuals in the academy are so skeptical of both pandemic reopening plans that do not have realistic attitudes toward health and safety (e.g., Welch 2020), and of equity and diversity statements in the wake of ongoing efforts to dismantle colonization (Doharty et al 2020) and ongoing anti-police and Black Lives Matter protests (Howard 2020;Melaku and Beeman 2020).…”

Anti‐racist learning and teaching in British geography

“…A popular sleight of hand used by apologists for racism is to highlight that BME students are overrepresented in British universities. Yet this chicanery ignores that, compared to their White peers, domestic BME students are more likely to attend a university outside of the “elite” Russell Group (Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), 2019), when they do enter university they face obstacles to their academic progression, graduate with a poor degree even when entry‐level qualifications are accounted for (Universities UK and National Union of Students, 2019), encounter racist abuse, have feelings of alienation while studying (Arday, 2018; Doharty et al, 2020; Tate & Page, 2018), and face obstacles to career progression (Bhopal & Pitkin, 2020; HEPI, 2019). We make reference to domestic BME students to highlight that while they and international students are often racialised as non‐white and therefore thought of collectively under the BME banner, racism affects students in a range of ways that are shaped intersectionally by factors such as gender, (dis)ability, and religion (Bhakta, 2019).…”