During the session, we discussed the shift in higher education from training people for fixed professions to producing new knowledge and fostering critical thinking and inclusivity. As a Japanese person with a disability living in the UK, inclusivity and equality are the areas I feel most connected to.
Coming from Japan, I sometimes feel less confident discussing decolonisation, which often centres on conversations between Black and White communities, compared with discussions around racism, which I have personally experienced. However, I have noticed major changes in both higher education and the art world. When I was a university student over 25 years ago, I do not remember learning about many artists from B.M.A.E. background. Later, when working closely with artists and galleries, I witnessed the industry slowly beginning to represent more Black, Asian and female artists, gradually giving them deserved recognition. Working with The Gallery of Everything, which represents outsider artists, also widened my understanding of the question: What is art? Who decides? Do large established galleries define it, or can it come from outside traditional systems?
Hooks (1995) quotes Lucie‑Smith, noting that “the work of art is no longer seen as something which truly represents its time and is important to it unless it challenges the norms of that time.” I strongly agree. Sometimes it feels as though, unless you “bite back” at society, the work is ignored. Everyone has a voice, but the challenge is helping students recognise what their voice is. Does meaningful work always need to challenge society? If not, is it still valuable?
This also reminded me of a student who described herself as “boring” because she is a white, straight woman who does not have a disability or close friends from minority background. Her positionality make her feel her work is worthless. Some home students struggle with the theme of inclusivity; even mixing with peers from diverse backgrounds in a university environment can still feel unfamiliar to them. They often feel their everyday experiences are not as “strong” as more personal themes such as B.A.M.E. and LGBTQ+ identity, which can feel more immediate or visible and they feel disadvantaged. DiAngelo (2011) explains that racial segregation can feel invisible to those who benefit from it, which makes conversations about racism difficult. This may also explain why some home students who come from outside London struggle with this unit.
To address this, we need to create more safe space in our teaching to discuss white privilege and how racism elevates white people within social structures. However, Wilson (2021) notes that many students leave these conversations feeling hopeless or helpless. She also cites Diane Goodman’s observation that:
“Since we are asking people to question their fundamental belief systems, it makes sense that people feel threatened and act resistant.” (Wilson, 2021, cited in Goodman, 2011)
Wilson emphasises the importance of contemplative practices, such as meditation, mindfulness, compassionate listening and journaling to support students who struggle with these discussions and to help them engage more openly. My role is to guide and support all students in understanding that every perspective is valid and meaningful within a broader social and cultural context. Providing clear starting points—such as discussing whiteness and its influence on lived experience—can help students enter these conversations with greater confidence.
Reference
Hooks, B (1995) Art on my mind, Talking Art as the Spirit Moves Us, pp 101-107
Diangelo, R (2011) International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, Vol 3 (3) White Fragility, pp 55-70
Wilson, C (2021) A Contemplative Pedagogy: The Practice of Presence When the Present is Overwhelming pp 52-62
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