Race

“The essential challenge is to transform the isolation and self-interest within our communities into connectedness and caring for the whole.” Block, P., 2008.“I want there to be a place in the world where people can engage in one another’s differences in a way that is redemptive, full of hope and possibility. Not this “In order to love you, I must make you something else”. That’s what domination is all about, that in order to be close to you, I must possess you, remake and recast you. ― Bell Hooks, Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies

“Contrary to what we may have been taught to think, unnecessary and unchosen suffering wounds us but need not scar us for life. It does mark us. What we allow the mark of our suffering to become is in our own hands.” ― bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions

“If the structure does not permit dialogue the structure must be changed” ― Paulo Freire

Introduction (142 words)

Born an immigrant, the child of Italian and Irish passport owners, with an integral Roma heritage on both sides, the family spread over almost all continents. As part of a minority ex /nomadic group, I navigated life while occupying an ambiguous racial space, benefiting from the privileges associated with passing as European but never celebrating my heritage.  I was the first in my working-class family to break barriers, pursuing higher education with a scholarship; I earned my high school degree in architecture, followed by a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Film. In recent years, I have been diagnosed as neurodivergent. Despite diverging from my family’s historic political alignment with the 1869 International Workingman’s Association’s anarchist factions in Italy, I always advocated for green ideologies. Raised atypically by my father, my life journey is economic survival without a safety net. I work as a maker and enabler, leading the MA Animation course. 

Reflection (310 words)

In “Witness Unconscious Bias,” Josephine Kwhali critiques ‘unconscious bias’ within academic institutions. She argues that despite years of anti-racist debates and diversity policies, we are confronted with a concerning paradox if bias still exists unconsciously. She rightly questions whether these biases are genuinely unconscious, given the plethora of resources and discussions on racism and diversity.

This perspective parallels my visit to the Barbican Gallery’s exhibition of American artist Carrie Mae Weems. Weems’ art interrogates representation in terms of race, gender, and class. Her ongoing series “Museums” critically analyzes celebrated institutions’ cultural and aesthetic authority, exemplifying how systemic biases shape perceptions.

Fascist divisions in my Italian family’s history taught me the value of acknowledging historical mistakes to prevent repetition. I align with Hooks, who emphasizes that while unnecessary suffering may mark us, we decide its imprint—emphasizing love, reciprocity, and equality in healing this suffering (hooks, All About Love: New Visions).

Building upon these thoughts, the report by Hahn Tapper titled ‘A Pedagogy of Social Justice Education: Social Identity, Theory, and Intersectionality’ is noteworthy. It scrutinizes the retention and attainment rates of diverse student populations within the university-level Art and Design discipline. The report unravels how diverse student characteristics intersect with curricular, cultural, and procedural aspects of Art and Design, affecting retention and attainment.

Notably, the report’s ambition is not to be exhaustive but to spur reflection on potential biases within the discipline. It advocates for a sense of belonging in Higher Education through mainstream activities involving all students, which could positively impact retention and attainment rates. It offers vital insights into cultural capital, Art and Design pedagogies, inclusive curriculum, assessment methods, and support for Art and Design educators. It critically analyzes cultural capital, which can lead to unequal opportunities, and highlights the need for an inclusive curriculum that allows students to develop unique practices. In conclusion, it is imperative to continually scrutinize and address underlying factors in academic institutions that may impede student achievement, especially in a progressively diverse student body. As shown in the works of Kwhali and Weems, achieving this requires conscious awareness and transformative actions. But given the critical perspective on unconscious bias in universities and its impact on student achievement, particularly in relation to race and diversity, as discussed in the works of Josephine Kwhali and the pedagogical exploration by Hahn Tapper, a question that arises is:

“How can universities effectively transform the isolating and self-interest driven environments perpetuating unconscious biases into spaces of connectedness, caring, and inclusivity, that not only acknowledge but also engage meaningfully with students’ differences in a transformative, redemptive manner?”

Bibliography

Hooks, B., 2000. All About Love: New Visions. William Morrow.
Hahn Tapper, A., 2013. ‘A pedagogy of social justice education: social identity, theory and intersectionality’.
Kwhali, J., 2023. Witness Unconscious Bias. UCU
Weems, C.M., 2023. Museums. [exhibition] Barbican Gallery, London.
Freire, P., 1970. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 1st ed. New York: Continuum.
Hooks, B., 1996. Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies. 1st ed. New York: Routledge.

Expanded Version (515 words)

The discourse on unconscious bias, especially regarding racism and diversity within educational institutions, remains profoundly pertinent. Josephine Kwhali, in her “Witness Unconscious Bias” conversation, critically highlights the paradox of universities that, on the one hand, champion diversity and anti-racist debates, yet on the other hand, continue to implicitly harbour these biases, suggesting that they are far from unconscious. This reality, she argues, warrants serious concern.

Kwhali’s sentiments align with my experiences at the Barbican Gallery’s exhibition of Carrie Mae Weems, an American artist whose works interrogate racial, gender, and class representation. Weems’ art series “Museums” explicitly questions the aesthetic authority of renowned institutions, highlighting systemic racism and inequality that guide actions and shape perceptions.

As a descendant of an Italian family divided by fascism, I appreciate the importance of acknowledging one’s historical faults as reminders against their recurrence. I resonate with bell hooks, who posits that we have control over how the marks of our suffering define us, emphasizing the importance of love, reciprocity, and equality in addressing suffering (hooks, All About Love: New Visions).

In light of these thoughts, Hahn Tapper’s ‘A pedagogy of social justice education: social identity, theory and intersectionality’ becomes particularly compelling. This report sheds light on the discrepancies in participation and attainment rates among diverse student populations within the Art and Design discipline at the university level. It evaluates the intersection of curricular, cultural, and procedural aspects with diverse student characteristics.

Hahn Tapper’s report doesn’t aim to exhaust all issues but to provoke a deep reflection on the potential privilege or exclusion within the discipline. It underscores the significance of creating a sense of belonging within educational institutions, achieved most effectively through mainstream activities that all students partake in (Hahn Tapper, 2013).

The report further provides essential insights into curriculum, culture, and pedagogy, offering a critique on cultural capital and Art and Design pedagogies while encouraging an inclusive curriculum. It calls for a re-evaluation of the assessment methods in Art and Design and argues for adequate support for part-time Art and Design educators

In conclusion, it is crucial to continually examine and address the underlying factors within our institutions that may hinder student achievement, particularly in the context of an increasingly diverse student body. As Kwhali and Weems’ works demonstrate, achieving this calls for intentional consciousness and transformative actions. But given the critical perspective on unconscious bias in universities and its impact on student achievement, particularly in relation to race and diversity, as discussed in the works of Josephine Kwhali and the pedagogical exploration by Hahn Tapper, a question that arises is:

“How can universities effectively transform the isolating and self-interest driven environments perpetuating unconscious biases into spaces of connectedness, caring, and inclusivity, that not only acknowledge but also engage meaningfully with students’ differences in a transformative, redemptive manner?”

Building upon Paulo Freire’s assertion, “If the structure does not permit dialogue, the structure must be changed,” this question underscores the urgent necessity for systemic transformation within academic institutions. It emphasizes themes of inclusion, unconscious bias, transformation, and diversity, demanding a radical reshaping of entrenched practices and structures that prevent authentic engagement with students’ differences. The goal is not simply to adapt existing mechanisms but to dismantle and recreate academia itself in a way that allows for a truly inclusive, equitable learning environment. This proactive change would constitute a meaningful shift in the university education space.