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Pedagogy of Reflective Inquiry: Racial Inequity, Racist Policy and Anti-Racist Teaching

By Dale Snauwaert, Ph.D., The University of Toledo
Special to The Truth

The aim of this teach-in was to explore the theory and practice of a pedagogy of reflective inquiry as a form of anti-racist teaching. The teach-in engaged participants in the process of three forms of reflective inquiry pertaining to racial inequity, racist policy, and racism: critical, ethical, and contemplative reflective inquiry.

The idea of a pedagogy of reflective inquiry is derived from the work of peace educator
Betty Reardon. Her conception of teaching is grounded in the educational theories of John
Dewey and Paulo Freire. Dewey conceived education as a process of the reconstruction of
experience leading to the development of the capacities of students. The key to learning and
development for Dewey was reflective inquiry into lived experience or what he called reflective
experience.

Freire advocated a pedagogy of dialogue and critical analysis of power and oppression in
order to liberate and empower students. Reardon builds on these conceptions in the form of
three forms of reflective inquiry: critical, ethical, and contemplative. Critical reflection pertains
to the discernment of power, an understanding and critique of social institutions, analysis of the structural dimensions of social life, and a critical consciousness (in a Freireian sense) of the political–economic origins of violence. Ethical reflection addresses normative questions of justice, and thereby the ethical validity of structural and cultural violence, guided by the principles of justice and a human rights framework. Contemplative reflection is the self-examination of internal moral motivation and commitment. It pertains to a reflection on what is meaningful and valuable. It also involves the exercise of imagination to envision alternative realities necessary for transformative action.

The purpose of the teach-in was to apply these pedagogical methods of reflective inquiry to the
phenomenom of racism. Following Ibram X. Kendi, racial discrimination was defined as a function of equity—If racial discrimination creates inequity, then it is racist. A racist policy is that which produces and/or sustains racial inequity defined as generating inequality in
the standing, benefits, and burdens of racial groups. Based upon these conceptions, racism is
defined as the collection of racist policies that produce racial inequity, which is in turn sustained by racist ideas, that is, ideas of inferiority and superiority among racial groups. Racism is both structurally and culturally violence. As such, it is an urgent matter of justice.

A just society, what Martin Luther King referred to as the “beloved community” is
grounded in a form of “love” expressed by the ancient Greek word agape. Agape is the moral
disposition to respond to others with unconditional respect and good will. Its exercise does not
discriminate among persons but responds to their equal inherent dignity. In doing so it bestows membership in an inclusive moral community. Justice requires equal respect for persons. As Cornel West suggests: “Justice is what love looks like in public.” Anything short of mutual respect is dehumanizing, and the essence of injustice is dehumanization; as Dr. King stated in his Letter from the Birmingham City Jail: “Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust; The idea of a beloved community is related to the African concept of Ubuntu, which constitutes a relational, communal conception of personhood and ethics—affirming and pursuing communal relationships grounded in mutual dignity and respect. From this perspective, injustice is the degradation of communal relations causing dehumanization. Through deliberation in small group discussion, the participants engaged in the process of reflective inquiry pertaining to racial inequity, racist policy, and racism.

Dr. Snauwaert’s full presentation and references for further study can be accessed in the Anti-
Racism Teach-Ins archive, on the Sojourner’s Truth website at thetruthtoledo.com.

King Letter from Birmingham Jail

Reflective Pedagogy, Cosmopolitanism, and Critical Peace Education for Political

 

Anti-Racism Teach-Ins Continue
Anti-Racism Teach-Ins, hosted by the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and supported
by The Sojourner’s Truth, are taking place on Zoom twice weekly through Labor Day. The
teach-ins are open to the public with a special invitation to teachers, administrators and parents who want a safe space to work together to learn about, challenge and change white supremacy in schools.

Join in Zoom meetings, 5-6 pm Mondays and Wednesdays at
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87347454267, meeting ID: 873 4745 4267. On Facebook, follow
Anti-Racism Teach-Ins at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100053978557767 for the
schedule and links to materials shared in teach-ins. When the coronavirus is under control and
limitations on gatherings are lifted, sessions will take place at the Mott Branch Library and
continue to be accessible via Zoom.

Here we print synopses of the first to presentations, by Shingi Mavima, PhD, and Dale
Snauwaert, PhD. Materials from presentations are available on the Truth’s website at
thetruthtoledo.com

 

 

   
   


Copyright © 2019 by [The Sojourner's Truth]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 08/13/20 10:44:43 -0400.


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