2011 Learning in Action:
Innovative Pedagogy & Course Redesign XI
Fairfield University
Teaching about Racism:
Challenges and Successes
Peter Heinze, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
Background
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology,
Ramapo College of NJ
Clinical Psychologist in private practice in
New York City
Member of community group addressing
inequities based in race in local school
system.
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permission of the author
Assessment
“Not everything that counts can be
counted, and not everything that can
be counted counts.”
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permission of the author
Pre-Course
Assessment
10 Items
6 Point Likert Scale
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
I consider myself to be White
Pre-course assessment
Affirmative Action results in minority groups receiving privileges which they did
not earn.
I feel that people of color have really “made it” in our society and have equal
access to everything that Whites do.
Poverty is a more important issue than race.
I don’t consider myself to be racist
White people benefit from privileges that people of color do not.
In the past, many poor immigrant groups such as the Italians, Irish and Jews
were able to work hard and struggle to obtain the American dream. I can’t
understand why African-Americans today can’t do the same.
I think African-Americans are justified in using American slavery as the reason
for injustices today.
Having a volunteer army is racist.
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
The Continuum
of Racism
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How does one answer the question “Am
I racist?”
Is “No” a realistic response? This implies
a dichotomy (e.g. one is either a racist or
not) and defies the reality of implicit bias..
Euro-American (white) culture is prone to
dichotomous thinking (Cartesian
dualism).
It might be more beneficial to think of
racism on a continuum.
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permission of the author
The Continuum of
Racism
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Not
Racist
Two ways of considering racism.
As a dichotomy based on Behavior
(either/or):
LOTS OF
GRAY AREA
IN
BETWEEN!
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permission of the author
- KKK
- White
Supremacist
- Neo-Nazis
- Hate Crime
Perpetrator
The Continuum of Racism
Not
Racist?
(Is it really
possible to be
“bias free”?)
Prejudice
Bias
Stereotyping
(Thoughts,
often
unconscious )
Discrimination
Segregation
(Non Violent
Behaviors)
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permission of the author
KKK
Skinhead
Neo-Nazi
Hate Crime
Perpetrator
(Violent
Behaviors)
Should I be Teaching
about Racism?
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Should a white, Euro-American
instructor, be teaching about
racism and white privilege?
What is the instructor's awareness
of his/her own racism ?”
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permission of the author
Should I be Teaching
about Racism?
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Ironically a white instructor's ability to acknowledge
his/her own racism might make him/her best able to
teach about it.
A white instructor who thinks he/she has “worked
through” all their racism might well be venturing into
dangerous territory.
A cornerstone of this work is learning about the lack of
acknowledgment of blindness on the part of whiteAmericans in U.S. society.
The white instructor unaware of his/her own racism is
likely to reenact the dynamic of blindness to power and
privilege that exists and persists in our society.
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permission of the author
Using myself as a tool
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Acknowledging my own humanness
Self-disclosure of my own racist thoughts
Emphasizing that this is about
LEARNING not KNOWING (myself
included!)
Trying to constantly monitor myself for
my own triggers (situations in which I get
defensive, impatient, angry, etc.)
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permission of the author
Using myself as a tool
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Benefits to students of using myself as a tool:
The more human I appear to them, the less
judgmental I seem. The less judgmental I seem,
the more willing the students are to share
thoughts and feelings that are considered
“politically incorrect” – thoughts that would
typically go unexpressed. This is where the true
“work” happens.
Modeling of openness with regard to racism
sends the message that it’s okay to discuss
these thoughts and feelings.
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permission of the author
Role as a white,
hetero, male
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Blindspots:
I still make assumptions that are rooted
in years of being socialized by the
dominant white, hetero, male culture.
The key is not to DENY that I have these
biases, but rather to acknowledge them
and make them visible to the students.
This makes the process “real” for them.
Example: Speaking “for” a Latina
student.
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permission of the author
Role as a white,
hetero, male
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Benefits:
The class feels less threatened and judged by
me, since they see me as “one of them” (white).
This makes it easier for me to challenge their
assumptions.
I can normalize the experience of having
negative thoughts and feelings that whites
maintain but are typically hesitant to express.
Once students feel comfortable expressing
“politically incorrect” or biased thoughts, a
deeper level of learning can be achieved,
allowing them to question some firmly held core
beliefs.
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
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Teaching an all (or
predominantly) white
class
Advantages:
There is an increased level of safety and
comfort, so students are more likely to
express biased thoughts.
It allows for an “in vivo” experience of
dominant white culture (there is typically
consensus on many issues). This
provides a good source of “evidence” for
many points.
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permission of the author
Teaching an all (or
predominantly) white
class
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Disadvantages:
Lack of alternative perspective
– this can detract from the
impact of some exercises (i.e.
the benefits of being white)
Students of color might feel
silenced.
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permission of the author
Importance of safety
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Research has shown that some
attempts at teaching about diversity
and multiculturalism actually
BACKFIRE! The result ends up being
a hardening of pre-existing biases.
I am very aware of the degree of
FEAR students have regarding this
subject.
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permission of the author
Importance of safety
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I consider the learning of this subject
matter analogous to therapy.
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We are confronted with parts of ourselves
we don’t want to acknowledge
If we do begin to change our view of
ourselves and the world, it might result in
uncomfortable changes in our close
relationships. For some, this is often a
good reason NOT to change.
Hence, creating a safe space in which to
address all these emotional issues is
very important.
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permission of the author
Pedagogical
Assumption
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It is counterproductive, and only serves
to further tacit or unconscious racism, if
multicultural psychology ignores looking
at whites as “raced”, as we do with other
groups we study.
Once white students understand this, it
will allow them to be more sensitive to
the nuances of power and privilege that
play into inter-cultural interactions and
relationships.
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permission of the author
Pedagogical
Assumption
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Therefore, the strategy employed in this
class is to have students spend the first
few weeks of the semester
understanding White privilege and how it
interacts with racism.
This should allow the students to
understand the material on the other
cultural groups studied in a substantively
different way.
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permission of the author
The role of examining
racism with regard to
the theoretical material
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By de-demonizing the terms
“racist” and “racism”, it helps
students to be more open
towards readings which they
would normally dismiss.
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permission of the author
Some themes
covered in class
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White = normal, therefore the “hyphens” (e.g. African -,
Asian -, Latino - , Native – American) are somehow
different from the “norm”.
Student exercise to examine this tacit assumption:
When referring to people in conversation, use the
identifier “white”.
Student reaction to this: “Feels weird”. We examine
this reaction more fully and gain an appreciation that
the “weirdness” is due to the fact that they are
verbalizing a heretofore unacknowledged
dynamic…that Whites are perceived as the norm and,
therefore, do not need to be labeled.
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
Some themes
covered in class
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White Privilege
Student exercise: Arrange small
groups based on whether students
identify as “white” of “people of
color”. Ask the groups to come up
with a list of the “Benefits of being
white”.
Compare the results
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permission of the author
Some themes
covered in class
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Are you a racist?
Student Exercise: Use of a continuum
 Have students describe what is a racist
 Examine behavior vs. thought
 Draw continuum
 Ask students where “Dave” (From video
“The Color of Fear”) perceived himself
before and after the group experience.
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permission of the author
The Continuum of
Racism
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Where one thinks they are on the
continuum vs. where they are in reality
might be a source for potential
misunderstanding when dealing in
situations in which sensitivity to diversity
is required. (Dave in “Color of Fear”)
Self-perception
Reality
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permission of the author
Handling the reaction to
student acceptance of
White Privilege
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When students recognize their own
White Privilege, it either results in an
acknowledgment of the reality, or
denial and resistance.
Typically there are underlying feelings
of guilt or shame. (e.g. “I wish I wasn’t
white). There is a wish to deny the
benefits of White Privilege.
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permission of the author
Handling guilt and shame
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Emphasize that this topic is not about
making students feel guilty.
It’s about White Privilege – and how
one addresses it once it has been
acknowledged
This is where the opportunity to
become involved in some level of
activism is a helpful alternative.
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
Handling Resistance
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Resistance can be:
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Sticking to original point of view in the face of
alternative evidence
Questioning the legitimacy of the authors (i.e.
“How old is this stuff!”)
Denial (“I grew up in an all white town without
racism”, “Some of my best friends are…”)
Arguing about unrelated issues (Classism,
Sexism, Homophobia)
Avoiding suggested exercises, readings
Absence, lateness
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
Handling Resistance
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Be aware of, and in touch with, my own
anger (countertransference)
I always try to consider resistance as a
veiled form of interest.
Be aware of, and sensitive to, the fact that
for some students accepting the existence
of White privilege and racism means
potential conflict with their family/friends.
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author
Handling Resistance
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How are resistant thoughts
and feelings handled once
verbalized?
Assume that the idea
expressed is not simply that of
one individual, but held by
many members of the class.
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permission of the author
Handling Resistance
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Don’t argue the point – this will only cause
the student to withdraw, and silence those
who agree with the sentiment.
Turn the resistance into a question for
group discussion. This allows for the
students to examine underlying
assumptions without feeling attacked.
Occasional appropriate humor (Laughing
at oneself) helps to ease the tension.
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permission of the author
Samples of student
reactions and work
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E-mail
Student papers
Willingness to try exercises
Outside of class chats (Male
student)
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permission of the author
End of Semester Assessment
and Data Analysis
Significant differences found
on mean scores for all
questionnaire items.
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permission of the author
Post-course online
assessment
Online survey which investigates
student perspectives.
https://new.qualtrics.com/ControlPanel/?ClientAction=setActiveReport&Section=RP_cJbYRQan9KFVm2U&SubSection=&SubSubSection=&TransactionID=2&Repeatable=0&T=2hNCKd
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permission of the author
Thank you!
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Questions/Comments?
 pheinze@ramapo.edu
Not to be reproduced without the
permission of the author