Faith

“All real living is meeting.” ― Martin Buber, I and Thou

Introduction (142 words)

I grew up in the shade of the Roman Catholic faith, which colours my Irish-Italian heritage. I come from the Roma people born in Italy and of Italian and Irish nationality. Yet, my life journey has led me to a crossroads of beliefs, as my husband follows Islam and my sister embraces the Wiccan path. Despite coming from a working-class background, I was the first in my family to finish high school and earn a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Film, all accomplished on scholarships late in life. My life is filled with diverse religious and educational perspectives, and recent diagnoses of dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, and ADHD have only added more layers. Politically, I choose the path of environmental consciousness, voting green and moving away from my family’s historical anarchist leanings tied to Italy’s 1869 International Workingman’s Association. While I deeply respect everyone’s belief systems and identities, my affiliations remain deeply personal, experiential and syncretic: I find my purpose in allowing freedom of thought as the course leader for an MA Animation program.

Reflection (302 words)

Engaging with Kwame Anthony Appiah’s “Creed” in his “Mistaken Identities” lecture series, I found resonance in his discourse as a syncretic observer respectful of all creeds yet committed to none. Appiah’s analysis of religion as a fluid construct, pivoting on the evolving interplay of religious practice and scripture, challenges the rigidity of scriptural determinism. This view, reflected in diverse religious traditions like Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, underscores the often contradictory nature of the scriptures and their variable interpretations across time and culture.

The theme of Otherness, brought to the fore during Appiah’s interaction with Grayson Perry, further underscores this complexity, echoing the essence of Buber’s “I and Thou.” This work advocates for relationships that supersede the objectified “It” in favour of the relational “Thou,” ascribing meaning to human life through relationships that can lead to the divine.

This dialogue connects directly to themes explored in “Religion in Britain: Challenges for Higher Education” by Tariq Modood and Craig Calhoun. These authors delve into the implications of multiculturalism, a concept that emerged as a strategy to navigate minority-majority relationships in 1960. Rather than mere tolerance, multiculturalism champions active respect for cultural differences, calling for the public sphere’s restructuring to accommodate ethnoreligious pluralism. Despite associations with international terrorism, multiculturalism persists, emphasising inclusive coexistence without forced assimilation, evident in religious diversity discussions concerning Muslim minorities.

This multiculturalist sensibility informs my pedagogical approach as an educator, especially as a course leader. By fostering a climate of respect for cultural diversity, discouraging hostility, and proactively including marginalised identities, I endeavour to create an educational environment that mirrors multiculturalism’s core principles. Our workshops, inspired by social justice and climate action themes, become platforms for dialogue. Here, the Other concept is challenged, engaging with Buber’s proposition to view the Other as “Thou,” not “It”. In this way, our sessions become not merely about content but about embracing diverse backgrounds and interactions, encouraging respect, acceptance, and mutual understanding into unique sessions shaped by the participants and not the tutors.

In light of the increasing cultural, religious, and intellectual diversity within higher education settings, how can we, as educators and academic institutions, effectively employ and enhance a multiculturalist sensibility in our pedagogical practices to ensure not just tolerance but active respect for diversity, and promote an environment where the ‘Other’ is recognized and engaged with as a ‘Thou’ rather than an ‘It’?

Kim Noce

Bibliography

Appiah, K. A. (2016). Mistaken identities. BBC Radio 4, The Reith Lectures.
Buber, M. (1970). I and Thou. Trans. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Scribner.
Modood, T., & Calhoun, C. (2015). Religion in Britain: Challenges for Higher Education. SRHE and Open University Press Imprint.

Expanded Version (504 words)

In the rich tapestry of my journey, my unique positionality has been woven through many threads. As a descendant of the Roma people and the bearer of Italian and Irish nationalities, I grew up in the shadow of the Roman Catholic faith, deeply interwoven with my Irish-Italian heritage. However, my journey has led me to crossroads of diverse beliefs, including Islam through my husband and the Wiccan path through my sister.

Having grown up in a working-class family, I was the first to navigate through high school successfully, and to proceed to university, earning a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Film, made possible by scholarships secured at a mature age. This journey through education was not without its challenges, as my later life brought diagnoses of dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, and ADHD.

Politically, I have deviated from my family’s historical anarchist leanings tied to Italy’s 1869 International Workingman’s Association and embraced environmental consciousness, voting for the green party. While I respect all belief systems and identities, my affiliations are profoundly personal and experiential, drawn from my syncretic personal journey.

In light of this, Kwame Anthony Appiah’s Reith Lectures on “Mistaken Identities,” particularly the discourse on “Creed,” resonated profoundly. Appiah’s exploration of the complexities of religious identity and scriptural interpretation reflected my multifaceted experiences. His conversation with Grayson Perry on the guilt experienced by non-believers and the absence of a void struck a chord, leading me to reconsider my stance on Otherness and the process of Othering in society.

Buber’s “I and Thou” served as an illuminating compass in this reflection, emphasizing the importance of transcending the objectification inherent in an “I-It” relationship towards the reciprocal acknowledgement and respect in an “I-Thou” relationship. Buber’s notion that all relationships ultimately bring us into a relationship with God, the Eternal Thou, and the importance of shaping our interactions through love, acceptance, and respect reverberated in my consciousness.

As an educator, I take these lessons into the classroom, where I lead an MA Animation program. Here, the theme of multiculturalism becomes integral. As Tariq Modood and Craig Calhoun articulate in their text “Religion in Britain: Challenges for Higher Education,” a ‘multiculturalist sensibility’ emphasizes tolerance and active respect for cultural diversity. They suggest that such sensibility can manifest itself in various ways:

• Listening to the demands of religious groups.
• Encouraging dialogue between religious groups and society.
• Treating religious discrimination seriously.
• Enforcing laws and policy measures through organizations like the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission.

In my practice, I strive to foster this multiculturalist sensibility, cultivating an environment where diverse beliefs, backgrounds, and perspectives are respected and celebrated. Through workshops inspired by contemporary social justice themes and climate action, students are encouraged to engage in dialogues and collaborations, allowing space for individual perspectives to intermingle and grow. In these spaces, we continually challenge and redefine our conceptions of the ‘Other,’ guided by Buber’s philosophy, as we learn to see the ‘Other’ not as an ‘It’ but as a ‘Thou.’

In light of the increasing cultural, religious, and intellectual diversity within higher education settings, how can we, as educators and academic institutions, effectively employ and enhance a multiculturalist sensibility in our pedagogical practices to ensure not just tolerance but active respect for diversity, and promote an environment where the ‘Other’ is recognized and engaged with as a ‘Thou’ rather than an ‘It’?

Kim Noce