‘Which way? Talking culture, talking race’

Abstract

In Australia, organisations identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cross-cultural awareness training or Indigenous cultural competency training as a means to address the service needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to address the gap in disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This training is also one of the strategies utilised in working towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This paper presents the findings from an institutional study based on the development and implementation of an Indigenous Cultural Competency Course within an Australian university and the tensions that exist within the teaching and delivery of such a course.

Productive disruptions: Supporting diversity and anti-racism in the workplace through multi-level organisational strategies

“…In general, training has a positive impact on participants (Beach et al, 2006; Paluck, 2006), although evidence is more mixed on other outcomes such as behaviour change, team and organisational effects (Bezrukova et al, 2016; Kalinoski et al, 2013; Maloney et al, 2016). Diversity training has also been critiqued as focusing overly on cultural awareness and difference over more complex and confronting issues of race, racism and privilege (Fredericks and Bargallie, 2016; Truong et al, 2014). Anti-racism training can cause negative emotions such as discomfort, guilt, anxiety, sadness and shame (Kowal et al, 2013).…”

“…A failure to address these reactions can, in turn, lead to resistance and create ‘backlash’ effects, including increased prejudice and racism and disengagement from anti-racism practice (Bhui et al, 2012; Dovidio et al, 2010; Utsey et al, 2008). However, such discomfort and resistance can be worked through in a process of individual and organisational transformation (Fredericks and Bargallie, 2016).…”