I am a future educator; I am completed my MA now with the intentions of teaching English and then going back to school for my PhD. I am currently preparing unit's to deliver to certain demographics. As of now I am preparing a Unit on Racism towards blacks. My student demographics are predominately black high school 11th-12th grade students. I believe that humans are born ignorant; from day one they begin to become molded beings by forces they have no control over. They adopt their first constructs, ideologies and personal philosophies from their parents, family or society. As they begin to age they form their own working constructs of the world around them, most of the time these constructs are greatly flawed and limited in scope. People begin to adopt concepts, constructs and philosophies but are not aware of the inspiration behind these beliefs. For example: the given demographics use the word “nigga” frequently, but are unaware of the history behind the word. Many of the given demographics live in ethnically segregated communities and attend a primarily segregated school, which becomes all that they know outside of the (predominately) unrelatable world of television. Many of the students within the demographics are effected by, but largely unaware of the historical and societal conditions that have made them or directly influence who they are. Ideally I believe that if I can teach students how the racist or stereotypical segment of society viewed/ views the given demographics, as well as the sociological and psychological conditions that has lead them to the position within which they currently exist, then students will have an enhanced knowledge of self, hence becoming more adept to face the world around them and reject these racist/ stereotypical notions when confronted with them. Im not questioning political correctness here I am simply questioning is teaching racism a probable tactic to help students become aware and conscious adults?
1. What is your discipline? History, Political Thought, Sociology? 2. What do you mean when you say "teaching racism"? I thought this is what racists are already doing; if you mean "teaching about racist ideology", still, what do you understand from racism in the first place? 3. If your nickname (Islamsmylife) also reflects your world view, you will have some problems to teach discriminatory ideologies, since you have already consuming one of them. Am I assuming? Prove me wrong...
Are you African-american or African-________ whatever nation you are planning to teach in? If not, the whole thing smacks of racism since you are going in assuming they are ignorant of things like the history of 'nigga'. If you are, it still smacks of condescension. I would definitely ask first, pontificate later if necessary. A lot of problems arise when a teacher comes to students thinking I have here the ideas that should be in their heads. This is disrespect right from the start. The goal of challenging them, challenging their ideas and the way they come to these ideas, that is a different and better story.
I am not sure whether one can teach exclusively about racism. A victim of racism would know it better than any teacher. A perpetrator of racism would also know but could not empathize with the victim. I think the most educative way would be to relate racism with other types of discrimination in society. While racism tries to justify a certain discriminatory behaviour through skin colour difference, gender discourses use the sexual difference to naturalize the discrimination. A similar tactic is used by nationalistic discourses which try to relate their difference and superiority to physical appearances or a common origin. Once the similarities between, and the socially constructedness of these various forms of discrimination are underlined, the students would be able to recognize the social, political and economic dynamics that govern all of these relationships simultaneously. The victims of racism would thus know that it is not any different than gender, age, nationality or ethnicity discrimination, and that they don't have to fall into the subtle trap of racism by making their "race" their dominant identity space. The students would also see that a victim of any discrimination can also be the perpetrator of another, and vice versa. This is how the perpetrators of racism could gain empathy, and the victims could avoid reproducing other kind of discriminations themselves. We are not only our skin colour, or sex, or age. All we need to do is to see our various identity spaces. Thus we can see that we always share one of those spaces with someone in another group. Finally, I don't think your "predominately black high school 11th-12th grade students" using the word "nigga" is such a bad thing. They are taking the control of the word, determining how and where they want it used, and thus making the word useless in any other context. I think their use of this particular word is a proof of their knowledge on its history, and a more powerful way to demystify its racist usage than banning it .
It is very important to teach the causes of racism . If we all educate our loved ones and ourselves about those causes we shall be able to reduce racism . I am very pessimistic to say that as long as humans live there will be racism as we are different from one another .
I would like to hear some of them. How, like we teach them how to safely cross the busy streets kind of education? Humans constantly redefine through new civilizations and understandings. No matter how you define racism, it emerged at some point of human history (and when did "human history" start? anyway), that means it is not eternal (as long as humans live). Saying that "there will be racism" in the future is nothing but an unfounded fortune telling. And if your fortune telling about the future of racism in human societies is based on the logic of "different from one another", your estimation should take us to the point that every single person would declare her/his own micro racism; which should actually be called "individual selfishness" in its highest calibre. I don't know, you confused me, confused the concepts, elaborate it bit more please...
The roots of racism are religions, languages, nationalities, skin colours, cultures, traditions, politics, social status....etc.
So everything causes racism. You forgot to mention disabilities, sexual preferences, taste of art and anything can potentially trigger racism. How does your "racism" institution work, can you elaborate one of your example such as "language" or "social status" and their support to racist ideology? It would be better if you started to define "racism" so we could understand what it is or what it is not. But if you are going to circulate around other social institutions it will be difficult task to differentiate racist ideology.
1. My disciple (like I said in my post) is English. My unit will be based on racism towards blacks within both literary history and contemperary media. Although racism is exhibited towards many races and ethnicities my target demographics is black hence I specifically focusing on racism towards blacks. 2. I mean by racism; teaching how blacks have been the victims of racist ideologies and beliefs throughout this nations history. I will only address this from a literary and contemperary media point of view. I understand racism to be the belief that humans are inherently different based upon race and that each race embodies certain character traits that allows certain races to be deemed superior to other races. 3. I am muslim. This is my Philosphical way of life that I have chosen to follow. Within my religion we deem all humans to be equal varying only in intrinsic merits and character. I am also African American. I am an oponent of discrimination regardless of the race of the perpetrator. How is me being Muslim a potential conflict?
You being Muslim requires some other people are not being Muslim. And this creates tension, it may not create any actual tension in your particular neighbourhood, yet there are religion based tensions all around the world. Moreover, you can check out the doctrines of your religion about non-believers, or the members of other religions. Your religion do not represent an ideology which sees "all humans to be equal". Take women and their position according to Islam.
Being a future teacher I feel that I have to step up and actually 'teach' somtimes when people do not understand. Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. The key word in racism and the definition is 'race'. Islam is not a race, it is a way of life adopted by a large segment of the world society crossing the boudaries of race. Non-believers are a category of people who do not adopt the ideology of Muslims. Ideological differences not racial differences. The fact that my religious beliefs creates tension; well I have no control over that just like me being tall and black within an elevator with white woman sometimes causes tension. I cannont help either. I will not adopt the belief of accepting all ideologies because I will not have a foundation to stand on. And I dont think your qualified to teach me about my religion in regards to woman. I have a mother a wife, grandmothers, sisters, aunts and cousins whom all adopt the teachings of Islam (not by force) and are not oppressed in any way shape or form. And no we are not modern Muslims we are practicers of the religion the way the religion was intended to be practiced (not extreme or too loose). If I misunderstood something you said please explain.
PS just to summarize what my religion teaches about 'equality'. It teaches that men are equal to woman but each has there own roles that Allah (God) intended for them. Both will be judged based upon their proscribed roles. You can liken that concept to a King or a peasant; they are both created equal but they both have certain roles that they must fulfil and they will be judged accordingly to their roles.
Well, I won't be the only one to react to that analogy. Kings tend not to think of peasants as their equals, nor do they treat them that way. Imagine if all blacks were peasants and all whites were Kings - sound familiar? - we could say they are born equal, only blacks should get used to their role as peasants - again, sound familiar? I mean Southern whites often spoke of their affection for blacks but assured others that blacks right role was as slaves or as peasants, roles that whites either should not have or were not limited to. How would you feel about another teacher going into the black community and teaching young blacks about sexism?
I think that enumerating the wrongs done and false beliefs held by racists is more likely to intensify the situation, adding fuel to the fire rather than giving students a better grasp on the problem. Certainly history should not be ignored but I would think that providing a universal perspective of racism, its evils and the struggle against that evil might better serve your students. Racism is a rather nasty product of a universal human tendency towards tribalism and xenophobia. The identification of "us" verses "them". The demonization and the dehumanization of other tribes has left history rife with misery and death. It is also based upon utterly unfounded and erroneous beliefs. The fact is there is no such thing as race as it applies to humans. It is a meaningless term, an arbitrary and haphazard categorization with no value and no scientific merit. Illuminate these facts, the human struggle against such beliefs across the world and throughout history. Don't build racists up, making them more evil and more powerful than they are. Instead reveal these beliefs for their stupidity and for the simplistic and childish mindsets they are. You can take a note from Stetson Kennedy and Superman(1), who trivialized the KKK and is probably at least partially responsible for its downfall. ~Raithere (1) http://books.google.com/books?id=Lk...resnum=6&ved=0CBoQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false
How do you think teaching people they are considered as subhuman by a fraction of the empowered population will make them aware of being equal? Just see the patterns where women are taught they are considered as lesser humans by men. Or places where people are taught they are considered as untouchables by a minority of rich powerful people. How does it work when you impress their situation upon them? I suggest you avoid any "lessons" of the past and focus on positive role models
Your taking what I said out of context and putting it into another context. I started off with this analogy within the context of Islams view of women, so stick with the context here, dont compare a religious perspective to a racial one. I'll explain; In Islam both the king and the peasant are born equal in the eyes of God and are both are judged based on their capabilities and moral efforts based on their societal roles. Meaning: a king and a peasent will be judged accordingly to how they behaved in accordance to their capabilities. One is not superior or inferior to the other in the eyes of God, except due to intrinsic merits and behavior based off of their capabilities. How they view each other, if one believes they are superior to another; well thats racism, referring back to my original post. A pious peasant is more honorable in the eyes of God than a arrogant, tyrannical king. The same applies to men and woman. Men are typically given more strength over woman they are judged accordingly to how the exercised that strength (did they use it to subjugate others or assist others?) And vice versa for some trait within woman that men typically dont have. See I didnt want to get into the religious/ideological debate, I wanted to stick with the original topic of teaching racism but this is usually what happens when people see 'Islam' in someone's name.
Thanks for the suggesstion! I will check out your link but do you think that it is important to teach students how they can identify racism and refute it with logic? This will be my aim.
