1. Are institutions White?
Most institutions, both academic and economic are White, in a few ways. Academia and the business world are very powerful and privileged institutions, lending themselves well to the White identity of power and privelege. The fact that most institutions are based on White values and are run by White people also would help classify these instutions as White. The culture that dominates these institutions is also White. In Tracey Lindberg's article, she talks about how in the academic institution, there are professors (mostly white) and there are "indian professors". You cannot be a minority and still be just a professor. Your identity is forever tied into your cultural background. If these institutions were not inherently White, the cultural and ethnic background of its employees would not be an issue. Either that, or professors would always be referred to by their ethnic background. (ie. white professor)
2.Does surviving institutional whiteness require individual or institutional responses? What examples do you have?
You cannot expect the institution of Whiteness to make allowances for those who struggle to survive it. If surviving institutional whiteness required institutional responses, there would not be such a problem with forced assimilation etc. Granted, in a perfect world it would be up to the institution to make sure that everyone's opinion, identity and place in the institution were seen as equal and important. Obviously it is not a perfect world, and therefore it is up to the individual to fight against institutional whiteness. In Lindberg's article, she says "Participating in non-Indigenous, Western educational institutions requires anti-colonial approaches" (Lindberg, p. 67) Basically, a person must answer for, defend and advocate one's cultural and ethnic background in a institutionally white setting, in order to fight against the assimilation and colonialism that is inherent in the White society that everyone lives in. Lindberg gives advice on how to do this, by emphasizing that indigeous people should remember that they are not part of the White culture, are visitors and trail blazers for their respective communities. The sojourn into White institutions are mandatory but will eventually lead to a "coming home" where indigeous peoples will create a strong and seperate culture. To me, this advice seems hostile, and though I do not understand where she is coming from as a woman of aboriginal heritage, it doesn't seem proactive to me to constantly fight against the system. To beat any system, I feel it is smarter to use it to your advantage, rather than rebel against it.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Great White North- Chap.4
1. How is being White problematic for an instructor who is teaching aboriginal students?
Being White does not allow a teacher to relate to her aboriginal students. Students don't feel like you understand where their coming from, and rightly so. The typical White Euro-Canadian's historical experience has little in common with the historical experiences of aboriginal people's. In the chapter, the author expressed a desire to help the underprivileged people on a reserve, but the response he received was "White boy, we don't need your help. We'll take care of our own problems." (Northcott, p.57) There is such an atmosphere of "mind your own business" that it is difficult for a White teacher to really connect with her aboriginal students, and therefore it is difficult to really teach.
2.Can a White instructor become "culturally sensitive" and, if so, how can cultural sensitivity be practiced in the classroom?
It's important to remember the difference between being sensitive to the distances between two cultures, and to actually understanding them. I believe that a White instructor can become culturally sensitive up to a point, but without living and experiencing not just the culture, but also the historical implications and prejudices, a teacher can not completely understand what it is to be a part of that culture. Some things a White teacher could do to become culturally sensitive are to learn the ways of aboriginal culture, such as ways of communicating and pedagogy. These can be applied to the classroom to lessen the requirement that aboriginal students assimilate to White pedagogy, and hopefully create a more pleasant and safe environment to learn in. In "Going Native", Northcott removed himself as facilitator of class discussion to create a learning environment that fit more with the experiences of his Cree students. This also did away with the ultimate White dominance in his classroom, by letting the students take control and discuss things that were important to them.
Being White does not allow a teacher to relate to her aboriginal students. Students don't feel like you understand where their coming from, and rightly so. The typical White Euro-Canadian's historical experience has little in common with the historical experiences of aboriginal people's. In the chapter, the author expressed a desire to help the underprivileged people on a reserve, but the response he received was "White boy, we don't need your help. We'll take care of our own problems." (Northcott, p.57) There is such an atmosphere of "mind your own business" that it is difficult for a White teacher to really connect with her aboriginal students, and therefore it is difficult to really teach.
2.Can a White instructor become "culturally sensitive" and, if so, how can cultural sensitivity be practiced in the classroom?
It's important to remember the difference between being sensitive to the distances between two cultures, and to actually understanding them. I believe that a White instructor can become culturally sensitive up to a point, but without living and experiencing not just the culture, but also the historical implications and prejudices, a teacher can not completely understand what it is to be a part of that culture. Some things a White teacher could do to become culturally sensitive are to learn the ways of aboriginal culture, such as ways of communicating and pedagogy. These can be applied to the classroom to lessen the requirement that aboriginal students assimilate to White pedagogy, and hopefully create a more pleasant and safe environment to learn in. In "Going Native", Northcott removed himself as facilitator of class discussion to create a learning environment that fit more with the experiences of his Cree students. This also did away with the ultimate White dominance in his classroom, by letting the students take control and discuss things that were important to them.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Great White North-- p. 51
Question 1: How can I, as a white teacher, approach the concept of systematic white privilege in my classroom, when I don't understand it fully myself?
Answer 1: As a teacher, I need to step outside myself, and look at systematic white privilege as if I'm not white. I can look at textbooks and other elements in my classroom and create discussion with my students.
Question 2: How can we change our education system so that it doesn't perpetuate the idea of white privilege?
Answer 2: All teachers, especially those who are white, should be required to take a class that emphasizes how the idea of white privilege is apparent everywhere, and what we as educators can do to help eliminate the hypocrisy in the classroom. I'm sure that many teachers don't even know it exists.
Answer 1: As a teacher, I need to step outside myself, and look at systematic white privilege as if I'm not white. I can look at textbooks and other elements in my classroom and create discussion with my students.
Question 2: How can we change our education system so that it doesn't perpetuate the idea of white privilege?
Answer 2: All teachers, especially those who are white, should be required to take a class that emphasizes how the idea of white privilege is apparent everywhere, and what we as educators can do to help eliminate the hypocrisy in the classroom. I'm sure that many teachers don't even know it exists.
p. 43-45 The Great White North
"Whites do not recognize or acknowledge their unearned racial privileges because whiteness operates by being invisible, so ubiquitous and entrenched as to appear natural and normative." p. 45
1. White people do not understand the privileges they receive from society, because whiteness as a concept operates by pretending not to exist. 2. This makes the concept of whiteness controversial, as the very people who experience the privileges do not even see themselves as "white", but as people in general, not classified. This is dangerous, as this thought brings forward the thought that this is the way normal people should be treated. Like Frideres, I believe that ignoring whiteness as a concept sidelines other ethnic groups, and alienates those without the privilege of whiteness as not normative, almost classifying them as not people, but as whatever their ethnic group is.
1. White people do not understand the privileges they receive from society, because whiteness as a concept operates by pretending not to exist. 2. This makes the concept of whiteness controversial, as the very people who experience the privileges do not even see themselves as "white", but as people in general, not classified. This is dangerous, as this thought brings forward the thought that this is the way normal people should be treated. Like Frideres, I believe that ignoring whiteness as a concept sidelines other ethnic groups, and alienates those without the privilege of whiteness as not normative, almost classifying them as not people, but as whatever their ethnic group is.
Monday, October 15, 2007
2 Questions- The Authority of Whiteness
1. In what way has Whiteness entered you life in Canada as either privilege and/or oppression?
Being from a very homogeneous white protestant town, my whiteness was there, although not glaring, from day one. There was never a conscious sense of privilege related to my whiteness, but unconsciously my whiteness afforded me a very easy life. My history corresponded well with the subjects I learned in school. Everything I learned seemed to fit well into my real-life experiences. My friends were all white, the tv shows and books we read echoed our identity. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I was very lucky to be white in a society that privileges whiteness. It made everything so easy and non-controversial.
Living in Montreal has allowed me to recognize the privileges given to me as a white woman in Canada. The first step has been taken, and now I need to work on recognizing inherent racism in print, media and my relationships.
2. What are the limits of the privileges of Whiteness in your daily life?
In my everyday interactions with peers, sometimes my whiteness is seen less as a privilege and more as a joke. When talking with friends from different ethinc backgrounds, sometimes my whiteness is categorized as geeky, awkward and not as cool as my black friends. When trying to dance to hip-hop music, or sing along to a rap song, my friends will comment, "Ali, you're so white." as if my whiteness does not allow my to appreciate popular culture as well as my black friends. My whiteness is still a privilege, but mostly on a larger social scale. In individual interactions, my whiteness is not seen as better, but sometimes as sad and not cool.
Being from a very homogeneous white protestant town, my whiteness was there, although not glaring, from day one. There was never a conscious sense of privilege related to my whiteness, but unconsciously my whiteness afforded me a very easy life. My history corresponded well with the subjects I learned in school. Everything I learned seemed to fit well into my real-life experiences. My friends were all white, the tv shows and books we read echoed our identity. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I was very lucky to be white in a society that privileges whiteness. It made everything so easy and non-controversial.
Living in Montreal has allowed me to recognize the privileges given to me as a white woman in Canada. The first step has been taken, and now I need to work on recognizing inherent racism in print, media and my relationships.
2. What are the limits of the privileges of Whiteness in your daily life?
In my everyday interactions with peers, sometimes my whiteness is seen less as a privilege and more as a joke. When talking with friends from different ethinc backgrounds, sometimes my whiteness is categorized as geeky, awkward and not as cool as my black friends. When trying to dance to hip-hop music, or sing along to a rap song, my friends will comment, "Ali, you're so white." as if my whiteness does not allow my to appreciate popular culture as well as my black friends. My whiteness is still a privilege, but mostly on a larger social scale. In individual interactions, my whiteness is not seen as better, but sometimes as sad and not cool.
When Race Breaks Out- Advice
In Chapter 8 of "When Race Breaks Out", Fox gives advice to avoid a student having to speak for their entire ethnic group. She says teachers should clarify that individual experiences vary, no matter what ethnic group students are from. She then says that teachers should validate everyone's experiences, and imply the importance of all these points of view.
I like this exercise, as it allows students to remember that even though we can be classified into ethnic groups, we are all still individuals with different viewpoints and experiences. Discussion about issues can be so much more profound if we don't assume a certain group to be homogeneous and experience the same things. With discussion, people's individual identities would become even more apparent, leading to a more open and multi-cultural classroom.
I like this exercise, as it allows students to remember that even though we can be classified into ethnic groups, we are all still individuals with different viewpoints and experiences. Discussion about issues can be so much more profound if we don't assume a certain group to be homogeneous and experience the same things. With discussion, people's individual identities would become even more apparent, leading to a more open and multi-cultural classroom.
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