When reviewing the resources around race, critical race theory and whiteness, I experienced a slight feeling of discomfort due to my positionality. I found myself holding back in the workshops and maybe not participating as much as I had previously. After studying the resources and delving into the subject matter further, it appears this is quite common and having these different conversations is highly beneficial when breaking down boundaries within race, equity and diversity.
In Asif Sadiq’s Ted Talk on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (2023), he states that in the US in 2022 the government spent $8 billion on diversity and inclusion training for employees. Despite the high costs, there has been little positive impact and change in this area. This is due to many factors including bias and stereotypes being used in the training programs which hinders rather than helps inclusion efforts. An example of this is the use of posters with a person of colour on them to represent diversity or a lack of role models that represent the aspirations of marginalised groups. Training frequently overlooks the unique identities within communities, such as asking one Muslim man to represent the voice of all 2 billion Muslims in the world thus failing to fully embrace diversity. Diversity should be about respecting different views, not necessarily agreeing on everything and to do so Sadiq suggests creating psychological safety. Creating safe spaces where people can discuss diversity, reduces the fear of saying the wrong thing and encourages open dialogue. This respect and openness can motivate people to ask questions in a self-led learning style which can promote a deeper understanding and commitment. Learning styles when participating in Diversity and Inclusion Training are usually based on traditional classroom-based learning which does not cater to everyone, especially those with neurodiverse ways of thinking such as ADHD and Autism. Experiential learning could be a more effective way to teach people about such a vast topic. Sadiq’s insights call for structural changes in training programs to achieve meaningful and lasting impact especially when it comes to addressing systemic barriers and promoting inclusion.
In Garrett’s study ‘Racism shapes careers’ she looks at the underpinning systemic racial inequalities in UK higher education. The paper states:
In the UK, professorships are predominantly held by white academics (90.1%), with very low representation from Asian (4.0%), Chinese (2.3%), Mixed (1.6%), Other (1.4%), and Black (0.7%) academics (AdvanceHE 2022).
The underrepresentation of racialised minority academics in professorships stresses the need for comprehensive anti-racist strategies to create an inclusive and equitable academic environment. Not only are they underrepresented but they are more likely to be on fixed-term contracts, resulting in lower pay compared to white counterparts. In addition to that Bhopal and Pitkin (2020) identified an intersectional disadvantage that racialised minority women experience in education, facing a ‘triple burden’ of oppression related to their class, gender, and ethnicity.
As a white, privileged person it is my responsibility to ask questions and learn through my experiences and interactions and not shy away from the subject of diversity. The only way to make the world more inclusive is to understand each other’s differences and respect those differences.
References
Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right. TEDx [Online}. Youtube. 2 March. Available at: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right | Asif Sadiq | TEDxCroydon
Garrett, R. (2024). Racism shapes careers: career trajectories and imagined futures of racialised minority PhDs in UK higher education. Globalisation, Societies and Education, pp.1–15. Read pages 2-5 & 7-11. Available to download from Moodle via the Readings & Resources folder.
Bhopal, Kalwant, and Clare Pitkin. 2020. “‘Same old Story, Just a Different Policy’: Race and Policy Making in Higher Education in the UK.” Race Ethnicity and Education 23 (4): 530–547. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2020.1718082.