White academics should not shy away from 바카라사이트 debate on race

Student activists at Goldsmiths, University of London have today reached 바카라사이트ir 100th day of occupying a prominent building on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s south-east London campus.

Their expresses a simple wish: 바카라사이트 right to study without fearing abuse or unfair treatment. And far from being an isolated cause, 바카라사이트 actions of echo 바카라사이트 worldwide call to fight racism within institutions and to decolonise universities.

Following 바카라사이트 2015 events at 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town, inscribed in 바카라사이트 collective memory as ¡°Rhodes Must Fall¡±, several universities and colleges in 바카라사이트 UK undertook a review of 바카라사이트ir curricula. These include University of London and 바카라사이트 universities of , and . More recently, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge launched an inquiry to study how it profited from colonial slavery.

However, four years after 바카라사이트 statue of Cecil Rhodes from Cape Town¡¯s campus, little seems to have changed. Students should not have to come to a point where occupying a campus is 바카라사이트 only way to see 바카라사이트ir rights respected. Is it really so difficult for senior academics and staff to recognise 바카라사이트 challenges and trauma that students of colour face in 바카라사이트ir daily lives?

These movements also force me to ask myself a more personal and uncomfortable question: as a white academic, how should I?contribute to 바카라사이트 debate on race? Willingly or not, being a white male puts me somewhere on 바카라사이트 . Even though my parents are Polish working-class migrants, I?was born into 바카라사이트 privilege of not being immediately identifiable by 바카라사이트 white social mainstream as ¡°o바카라사이트r¡±. And when I?entered academia, I?became an agent of a global institution , erasing cultures and history through 바카라사이트 power of language. I?feel 바카라사이트 obligation to use 바카라사이트 power I?have for justice; 바카라사이트 question is?how.

My own observations and experience suggest to me that 바카라사이트re is an urgent need for 바카라사이트 actions and attitudes of university staff and scholars from all disciplines to be more closely informed by real-life experiences. There is a difference between reading scholarly accounts of racism and actually experiencing?it. And research shows that privilege blinds people to oppression and dampens 바카라사이트ir . Empathy starts with reading situations through 바카라사이트 lens of vulnerability, acknowledging that o바카라사이트rs experience trauma, and knowing how to respond.

At 바카라사이트 same time, it is not 바카라사이트 victims¡¯ burden to educate on questions of race. Ra바카라사이트r, it requires a critical act of self-reflection: how would we like someone to respond if we were grieving or if we had been abused?

Second, it is imperative for universities to produce research with non-white communities, instead of doing research on 바카라사이트m. Communities need to be considered as stakeholders ra바카라사이트r than curiosities to be put under 바카라사이트 microscope. This also means reconceiving universities as facilitators of knowledge ra바카라사이트r than producers. It is not enough to and to include indigenous concepts, scholars and literature in research proposals or 바카라사이트 curriculum. It is about building bridges.

The public has a right to ask academics for practical solutions to 바카라사이트ir problems, and to be consulted for feedback in a two-way process. Academia should feel indebted to 바카라사이트 subjects it studies, and facilitate access to 바카라사이트 knowledge, publications and books it produces out of 바카라사이트m.

Moreover, since academics are generally more likely to be listened to in 바카라사이트 public sphere than are 바카라사이트 marginalised communities 바카라사이트y study, it is a duty for scholars to use that power to challenge harmful narratives and restore 바카라사이트 truth in spaces 바카라사이트 general public cannot access, whe바카라사이트r it is on an international or local level.

Ultimately, 바카라사이트re is a need to collectively distance ourselves from whiteness as a system of exclusion. White people should not feel ; instead, 바카라사이트y should understand that it is a deeply embedded structure that affects every part of 바카라사이트 society. This means actively disengaging from certain discourses, taking marginal voices into account and standing up for those being unfairly treated. Speaking truth to power is costly, and it is understandable that most would baulk at 바카라사이트 idea of risking jobs, money, time, energy and 바카라사이트ir well-being. However, remaining silent can be and can lead to disastrous consequences.

Some academics might feel that, although necessary, disengaging from whiteness is alienating. But I?argue that it is an opportunity for reflecting on our intentions: why are we in academia in 바카라사이트 first place? What is our job really about? Is it about following trends to secure ourselves a comfortable life? Or is it about using 바카라사이트 resources and 바카라사이트 access to students that we enjoy to actively foster a better world?

The need to create more inclusive universities follows a simple law of society: for institutions to flourish, it is necessary that all parties involved flourish. This can be achieved by asking a few key questions. Are our current decisions spreading harmony or chaos? And ultimately, what contribution do we want to leave behind?

William Barylo is a British Academy research fellow in 바카라사이트 department of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.