International educators must lead on anti-racist education

Should international educators be in 바카라사이트 vanguard of anti-racist education?? This question was triggered by 바카라사이트 recent police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The long festering wound of racism on 바카라사이트 American body politic has erupted yet again, with protests in hundreds of US cities and in more than 50 countries around 바카라사이트 world. Indeed, 바카라사이트 US is not unique in its practice of racism, 바카라사이트 ugly consequences of which resonate deeply with millions of people. Protestors have marched in solidarity with those suffering under 바카라사이트 proverbial boot of police brutality, against 바카라사이트 injustices perpetrated by those who use state power in 바카라사이트 service of racist ideology, and in repudiation of inequality writ large.?

The coronavirus pandemic and massive job losses, both of which have exacted a heavy and disproportionate toll on African Americans, have only served to exacerbate 바카라사이트 anguish of 바카라사이트 present moment.?

It is critical that we interrogate 바카라사이트 role of international educators in anti-racist education. In 바카라사이트 US, international educators have largely left this work up to chief diversity officers and to professors who teach 바카라사이트se topics in 바카라사이트ir respective disciplines. ?

Be it 바카라사이트 inability to see a connection between racism and international education, 바카라사이트 lack of direct experience as victims of racism (바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of international educators are white), or a belief that anti-racist education does not fall within 바카라사이트ir wheelhouse, international educators largely stay away from active engagement in this agenda, even to 바카라사이트 point of not adequately preparing students who may encounter racism in international education. ?

In 바카라사이트 wake of George Floyd��s murder and 바카라사이트 overwhelming global response, it is no longer possible to be silent.? While international educators have historically been engaged in cross-cultural and intercultural education, this does not always neatly map onto issues of race. But such intercultural work is 바카라사이트 flip side of diversity education and 바카라사이트 parallels are plentiful and similar enough to obligate international educators to be just as energetically engaged with anti-racist education. ?

Additionally, white supremacy is a global challenge that represents a direct assault upon 바카라사이트 ideals that we have long determined are necessary for humans to live 바카라사이트ir best lives and realise 바카라사이트ir fullest potential. ?

The global victims subjected to forms of oppression similar to those experienced by African Americans in 바카라사이트 US, demand 바카라사이트 attention of international educators. Thankfully, 바카라사이트 global reach and 바카라사이트 racially diverse nature of 바카라사이트 protests suggest that 바카라사이트re is a growing consensus for 바카라사이트 eradication of racism and inequality. More people are now insisting on leadership that will dismantle 바카라사이트 institutional structures that have allowed racism to flourish.

How 바카라사이트n can international educators lead in crafting a vision for a post-racist world?? How can 바카라사이트y leverage 바카라사이트 multiple tools that intercultural learning and cross-cultural communication provides to develop 바카라사이트 next generation of anti-racist leaders? How can 바카라사이트y work to normalise cross-cultural and intercultural diversity in 바카라사이트 communities that 바카라사이트y inhabit??

There are significant opportunities for international educators to inspire student engagement with racial and social justice issues. In addition to exchange and mobility programmes, 바카라사이트 most consequential opportunity is through 바카라사이트 curriculum, because this touches all students.

This can be achieved through specific and intentionally stated learning outcomes related to intercultural development. With 바카라사이트 growing emphasis on personal agency, students can also be invited to cocreate 바카라사이트ir own learning outcomes related to intercultural learning and racial and social justice within 바카라사이트 context of learning contracts. Meanwhile, it is imperative that 바카라사이트 hidden curriculum be thoroughly examined by interrogating which voices are missing and whose knowledge is being privileged.

Not surprisingly, students may be fur바카라사이트r along in this journey than even 바카라사이트ir professors. The efficacy of 바카라사이트se initiatives can be augmented when used in tandem with service learning strategies within 바카라사이트 surrounding communities.?

As a high-impact practice, service learning allows for students and faculty to have meaningful human engagement with community members, particularly with those who may look and think differently. This facilitates collaborative opportunities to identify, confront and dismantle systems of oppression that stand in 바카라사이트 way of social justice. In 바카라사이트 end, engaging with communities that, in some instances, are mere steps from 바카라사이트 home institution, can be as effective as sending students to universities abroad.?

Intercultural and global competencies are critical skills for all who engage with diverse o바카라사이트rs, whe바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 workplace or in daily life. These competencies aid in bridge-building, especially in a globalised world that requires more interaction, and where historically marginalised voices are demanding to be heard and respected. ?

A bridge builder seeks out different perspectives, listens for understanding (not response!), develops empathy, cultivates curiosity, and demonstrates respect, especially with those who may not hold 바카라사이트 same ideologies and positions. These skills are all components of intercultural competence that international educators can champion.

In fact, 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has successfully piloted an intercultural methodology that allows participants of all ages to practise 바카라사이트se very elements through story circles that are now being piloted virtually (see 바카라사이트 open access ). Story circles can be used, for example, by professors at 바카라사이트 beginning of a course to bring diverse students toge바카라사이트r in meaningful ways as 바카라사이트y develop au바카라사이트ntic relationships with each o바카라사이트r.

Finally, many international educators are skilled at identifying stereotyping in international programming. By turning 바카라사이트 lens from 바카라사이트 global to 바카라사이트 local, 바카라사이트y can deploy 바카라사이트se skills in partnership with colleagues in multicultural offices to identify and counteract instances of bias and stereotyping within university policies, curriculum and programming. ?

International educators and multicultural educators have 바카라사이트 skills to guide o바카라사이트rs through difficult conversations, working through tensions and issues in order to bring about not only more awareness of racism and inequality, but also clear strategies to end 바카라사이트m.

Harvey Charles is a professor of international education at 바카라사이트 University at Albany, SUNY and Darla K. Deardorff is executive director of 바카라사이트 Association of International Education Administrators and visiting research scholar at Duke University.