Racism in education takes many forms – from structural inequalities to everyday interactions. As the resources for this task show, anti-racism requires not just awareness but sustained action. Here, I reflect on how these ideas have shaped my practice as an educator.
Early in my teaching career, I encountered a situation that revealed the fragility of intercultural dynamics. A Brazilian student, fluent in English, publicly expressed anxiety about being grouped with Chinese students he believed had limited English. It created an uncomfortable moment for the cohort. Lacking formal training at the time, I relied on instinct – placing him with peers he felt confident working with primarily as a means to protect my Chinese students from further confrontation. I also spoke with him in private, explaining the gravity of his behaviour and the situation did not repeat. Later, a Chinese student shared that she felt grouped with other Chinese students as a way to appease him but that she had come to London to experience and meet different cultures. I felt awful and still reflect on whether I handled it properly.
Sara Ahmed’s work has helped me process this complexity. In On Being Included, she writes, “Diversity work is messy and difficult… of not knowing what to do” (Ahmed, 2012, p.174). Her critique of institutions using diversity rhetorically without committing to structural change (Ahmed, 2019) speaks directly to the tension between individual action and institutional responsibility.
In response, I’m hoping to embed a non-violent communication workshop into the early stages of my course (during our 25-26 intake) to build empathy, emotional literacy and group trust before collaborative challenges arise. This aims to support a more inclusive, student-led environment. I am hoping this will be the intervention that I will design and implement. My training begins on June 24 after which I should fully understand the possibilities of inclusion.
Looking at some of the resources, Bradbury (2020) critiques the illusion of neutrality in education policy, especially around bilingual learners. Her use of Critical Race Theory shows how systemic racism can be hidden in “standardised” practices. Garrett (2024) extends this to higher education, revealing how racialised PhD students are often excluded from key opportunities. These perspectives emphasise that anti-racism must address deep structural barriers – not just surface-level diversity.
Sadiq’s (2023) TEDx talk reinforces the need for strategic, values-led DEI work. His reminder that it’s about progress, not perfection, resonates with my teaching journey.
At UAL, the Anti-Racism Action Plan sets out commitments to race equity, inclusive curricula and improved reporting systems. Its structure and ambition are commendable, and the Race Equality Charter Bronze Award suggests institutional progress. However, there is still concern about slow and uneven implementation. For example, at the moment UAL websites cite Naina Patel as UAL’s Race Champion but she is no longer in post.
A gap became clear during Workshop 3, when we discovered that UAL’s Student Charter – a document students sign at the start of their studies – contains no mention of anti-racism, inclusion or equity. This feels like a missed opportunity. As a group, we discussed co-creating a values-based charter with students to establish shared expectations. Even so, the official student charter must reflect UAL’s anti-racist commitments. These messages shouldn’t be optional or informal – they should be foundational.
Anti-racism in education is ongoing, layered work. For me, it now means balancing institutional policy (or critique of it) with action in my own classroom – working towards a culture where all students feel genuinely respected, heard and valued.
References
Ahmed, S. (2012) On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life. Durham: Duke University Press.
Ahmed, S. (2019) What’s the Use? On the Uses of Use. Durham: Duke University Press.
Bradbury, A. (2020) ‘A critical race theory framework for education policy analysis’, Race Ethnicity and Education, 23(2), pp.241–260.
Garrett, R. (2024) ‘Racism shapes careers’, Globalisation, Societies and Education, pp.1–15.
Sadiq, A. (2023) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right. TEDx. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HR4wz1b54hw
University of the Arts London (UAL) (2021) Anti-Racism Strategy. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/strategy-and-governance/anti-racism-strategy
4 responses to “Blog Task 3: Race”
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Thanks for sharing such an honest and thoughtful reflection, it’s great to see your openness about learning and growing from those experiences. I know I’ve had similar situations arise in group work at UAL and still feel lost of how to respond to this tbh. Sara Ahmed’s idea that diversity work is “messy and difficult” really hits the mark. Bringing in non-violent communication early on sounds like a smart way to build empathy and trust, which is so important for creating inclusive spaces. Your references to Bradbury and Garrett also remind us that tackling systemic barriers is key, not just box ticking. And Sadiq’s point about progress over perfection is a nice reminder.
Your insights about UAL’s policies and the Student Charter highlight how important it is for institutions to make their commitments visible and meaningful. Co-creating values with students is a fantastic idea to build shared responsibility.
Overall, your reflection shows how personal growth and institutional action go hand in hand in making education more inclusive. Thanks again for sharing your posts.
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Hi Matt, I totally relate to what you said about still feeling unsure how to respond in certain group situations – I’m definitely still in that space too. That Sara Ahmed quote really hits – “messy and difficult” feels like such an honest way to think about this work.
I’m glad the idea of introducing NVC early on resonated – it feels like a gentle way to start building trust and shared understanding before group dynamics fully take shape. And yes – Bradbury and Garrett have really helped me think beyond surface-level inclusion and more about what structural change might actually look like in practice.
I also really appreciated what you said about the Student Charter – I think there’s a lot of potential there, but it needs to be made meaningful. Co-creating values with students feels like a step towards that – something active and lived, not just a document.
Thanks again for engaging with the post. Much appreciated.
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Hi Rachel, I appreciated your vulnerability describing a situation you feel you could have handled better. I can think of similar examples from my own practice, particularly around responding to group dynamics where I can find it hard to judge how much it is appropriate to intervene.
As we’ve discussed in our peer presentations, I’ve found incorporating NVC techniques into the Design for Art Direction curriculum has been transformative for collaborative work. I’m also conscious that it isn’t a silver bullet as some proponents might suggest. I’ve found that through trial and reflection, I’ve tailored particular NVC tools to the needs of design students, and this is an ongoing process which I’m also engaged in through my intervention proposal.
On the topic of cultural specificity and language, I’ve become aware that NVC perhaps suits some students more than others. Not everyone is accustomed to sharing their feelings openly in a formal learning setting, and my observation is that it is often the more confident and vocal students who participate most in NVC activities. I’d be interested to explore how to navigate these challenges in conversation with you as you introduce NVC to your cohort.
I hope we’re able to continue this exchange as we develop our proposals.
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Hi Adam,
Thanks so much for your feedback – I really appreciated your reflections, especially the way you described the impact NVC has had on collaborative working. It’s encouraging to hear how you’ve adapted it to fit the needs of your students – and your point about it not being a silver bullet really resonates as well as the consideration of how different students may respond. I’m also approaching it as something to be experimented with and shaped through practice.
As you know, I came to learn of NVC through your kind self – and I’ve just taken part in a two part introductory training course – exploring the basic principals. Following discussions in our peer presentations and during this course, I am toying with changing my intervention design slightly and incorporating NVC towards the end of the first term, ahead of the Collaborative Unit which begins after Christmas. I’m hoping that introducing it at that point could help create a shared ground for communication and set a tone for more inclusive group work from what can often be a tricky unit.
Your reflections on cultural specificity really stayed with me too. I’ve noticed the same – that it’s often the more confident students who participate most – and I’m also wondering how to make space for different ways of communicating, without putting anyone on the spot. I’d love to continue the conversation as our ideas take shape.
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