Fostering Welcoming Fostering Welcoming CommunitiesCommunities

By Resisting Backlash: By Resisting Backlash: Learning from Student LeadersLearning from Student Leaders

Presentation at Workshop: Presentation at Workshop: ““Youth Strategies Youth Strategies and Experiences of Migration and Integrationand Experiences of Migration and Integration

””1616thth International Metropolis Conference International Metropolis Conference

September 2011, AzoresSeptember 2011, Azores

Dr. Darren E. LundDr. Darren E. LundProfessor, Faculty of EducationProfessor, Faculty of EducationDomain Leader,Domain Leader,PMC Welcoming CommunitiesPMC Welcoming Communities

Welcoming Communities: Welcoming Communities: The Role of Host Communities in Attracting, The Role of Host Communities in Attracting, Integrating, and Retaining Newcomers and Integrating, and Retaining Newcomers and

MinoritiesMinorities

http://pmc.metropolis.nethttp://pmc.metropolis.net

Prairie Metropolis Prairie Metropolis CentreCentre

Domain LeaderDomain Leader

Research Focus: Social Justice ActivismResearch Focus: Social Justice ActivismDefinitionDefinition: : ““direct action by a voluntary direct action by a voluntary coalition of students and teachers to raise coalition of students and teachers to raise awareness or bring about social change awareness or bring about social change toward eliminating racism and other forms of toward eliminating racism and other forms of discriminationdiscrimination””IncludesIncludes: organizing educational lessons or : organizing educational lessons or programs, school or community displays, programs, school or community displays, group activities, awareness events, media group activities, awareness events, media campaigns, and political engagement of campaigns, and political engagement of students and teachers on issues of students and teachers on issues of ““race,race,”” culture, age, ethnicity, gender, gender culture, age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, dis/ability, identity, sexual orientation, class, dis/ability, appearance, and other markers of differenceappearance, and other markers of differenceExamplesExamples: social justice programs, : social justice programs, multicultural clubs, antiracism projects, multicultural clubs, antiracism projects, intercultural events, action groups, intercultural events, action groups, international programs, refugee support international programs, refugee support initiativesinitiatives

Recent Social Justice ResearchRecent Social Justice Research““Antiracism Toolkit: Building Capacity Among Antiracism Toolkit: Building Capacity Among School-Based ActivistsSchool-Based Activists”” (2002-2004) AAME, CRRF (2002-2004) AAME, CRRF

““Antiracism and Diversity ResourcesAntiracism and Diversity Resources”” (2004) (2004) Canadian HeritageCanadian Heritage

““Fostering Acceptance and Integration of Fostering Acceptance and Integration of Immigrant Students: Examining Effective Immigrant Students: Examining Effective School-Based Approaches in Prairie SchoolsSchool-Based Approaches in Prairie Schools”” (2004-2006) funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre(2004-2006) funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre

““Understanding School-Based Social Justice Understanding School-Based Social Justice ActivismActivism””

(2004-2006) University of Calgary(2004-2006) University of Calgary

““Intercultural Inquiry With Pre-service Intercultural Inquiry With Pre-service TeachersTeachers”” (2005-2007) (2005-2007)

- funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre- funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre

““Examining Social Justice in ActionExamining Social Justice in Action”” (2006-2009) (2006-2009)

- funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre- funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre

Current Social Justice ResearchCurrent Social Justice Research

““Engaging Young People in Social Justice Activism: Engaging Young People in Social Justice Activism: Insights from Former Student LeadersInsights from Former Student Leaders””

(2008-2011)(2008-2011)

- funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre- funded by the Prairie Metropolis Centre

““Engaging Student Leaders in Research on Social Engaging Student Leaders in Research on Social Justice ActivismJustice Activism””

(20011-2014)(20011-2014)

- funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research - funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research CouncilCouncil

www.ucalgary.ca/dtoolkitwww.ucalgary.ca/dtoolkit

““Engaging Student Leaders in Research Engaging Student Leaders in Research

on Social Justice Activismon Social Justice Activism””

Principal Researcher: Dr. Darren LundPrincipal Researcher: Dr. Darren Lund Funder: SSHRCFunder: SSHRC Research Assistant: Kari GrainResearch Assistant: Kari Grain

• • critical analysis of engaging in social justice critical analysis of engaging in social justice research from the perspective of actual student research from the perspective of actual student leadersleaders

• • using duoethnography (Norris, Sawyer, & using duoethnography (Norris, Sawyer, & Lund, 2011) the researchers seek insights from Lund, 2011) the researchers seek insights from former school activistsformer school activists

• • follows critical anti-racist and multicultural follows critical anti-racist and multicultural research of James Banks, George Dei, Paul research of James Banks, George Dei, Paul Gorski, Carl James, Sonia Nieto, Carol Schick, Gorski, Carl James, Sonia Nieto, Carol Schick, Christine Sleeter, and Patrick SolomonChristine Sleeter, and Patrick Solomon

Current Examples of Youth GroupsCurrent Examples of Youth Groups

Photo taken at Calgary’s City Hall, just two blocks from Photo taken at Calgary’s City Hall, just two blocks from the 2009 National Metropolis Conference. the 2009 National Metropolis Conference.

Image from the Calgary Herald.Image from the Calgary Herald.

Lindsay ThurberLindsay Thurber’’s s STOPSTOP Program Program

Students and Teachers Students and Teachers Opposing PrejudiceOpposing Prejudice

• • diversity issuesdiversity issues• • intercultural sharingintercultural sharing• • multicultural educationmulticultural education• • challenging racism & discriminationchallenging racism & discrimination• • human rights promotionhuman rights promotion• • countering hate groupscountering hate groups• • student social activismstudent social activism• • youth leadership trainingyouth leadership training• • international developmentinternational development• • school violence preventionschool violence prevention• • charity fundraisingcharity fundraising• • political lobbyingpolitical lobbying• • world peace effortsworld peace efforts

Freedom Fighter of the MonthFreedom Fighter of the MonthMarch 2000March 2000

Students and Teachers Opposing Students and Teachers Opposing PrejudicePrejudice

Definition of “backlash”:Definition of “backlash”:n. 1. an adverse reaction to some political or social occurrence, n. 1. an adverse reaction to some political or social occurrence,

usually something new or liberal; usually something new or liberal; 2. an antagonistic or hostile reaction to a trend or development2. an antagonistic or hostile reaction to a trend or development

•• IndirectIndirect resistance/denial of inequity & oppression resistance/denial of inequity & oppression• • DirectDirect threats & challenges to social justice work threats & challenges to social justice work

Verbal (telephone, personal)Verbal (telephone, personal) Written (email, letters, notes)Written (email, letters, notes) Media (news articles, signs, websites, radio & TV Media (news articles, signs, websites, radio & TV broadcasts)broadcasts) Legal (complaints, lawsuits)Legal (complaints, lawsuits) OtherOther

Forms of Backlash:Forms of Backlash:

Responding to hate in the Responding to hate in the communitycommunity

Conversational approach to researchConversational approach to research• • a dialectic enquirya dialectic enquiry• • builds upon narrative, autoethnographic and builds upon narrative, autoethnographic and storytelling approachesstorytelling approaches• • personal history as a curriculumpersonal history as a curriculum• • a a ““third spacethird space”” invites readers into the conversation invites readers into the conversation• • ““bracketing inbracketing in”” vs. vs. ““bracketing outbracketing out”” the personal the personal• • we are the we are the sitessites for research, not the for research, not the topictopic• • multiple viewpoints may intersect and contradictmultiple viewpoints may intersect and contradict

Methodology: Methodology: DuoethnographyDuoethnography

(Norris, 2008; Norris, Sawyer, & Lund, 2011)(Norris, 2008; Norris, Sawyer, & Lund, 2011)

Duoethnographic Interviews:Duoethnographic Interviews:• • conversational nature of the research creates conversational nature of the research creates more readable and interesting workmore readable and interesting work• • relationship more equitable as co-researchersrelationship more equitable as co-researchers• • eliminates the eliminates the ““researcher/subjectresearcher/subject”” positions positions• • includes more informal languageincludes more informal language• • some additional vulnerabilitysome additional vulnerability• • past common experiences enhance the dialoguepast common experiences enhance the dialogue

Research ApproachResearch Approach

• • convenience sampling using Facebook to recruitconvenience sampling using Facebook to recruit• • 12 participants selected based on past leadership12 participants selected based on past leadership• • at least a year of school social justice activismat least a year of school social justice activism• • mix of gender, age, background, identity, experiencesmix of gender, age, background, identity, experiences• • one hour interview/conversationsone hour interview/conversations

Themes emerging from the data: Facing racism

Seema: People say, “Where are you from?” I’m Canadian, and if I say, “I’m Canadian,” nobody listens. They’re like, “Really?!” Darren: They’re like, “Come on, you know what I meant by that. Don’t play this game with me; don’t make me be polite.” Seema: Haha [laughing], yeah.

Chantal: My sisters are ten years younger than I am, so they’re quite little, and when I was 15 or 16 and they were 5 or 6 we would go out and people would sometimes freak out and start thinking they were my kids and I was a “drunk Indian.” They would kind of see what they wanted to see. I think they had resentment towards aboriginal people. They see a girl who looks like she might have been really young when she had kids, and who has vaguely Eurasian/aboriginal traits, and they would just assign that meaning. So I think it’s interesting to be able to infiltrate, if you will, white people.

Themes emerging from the data: Facing and resisting backlash from parentsKatie: (on high school activism): I can remember my

parents also not being really supportive of it. Darren: Really? Katie: Yeah, so looking back too, I did all that, I think

that was my first taste of doing things I cared about and having to just go against, sometimes, what my parents wanted for me.

Darren: - which would be more mainstream?Katie: Yeah and they saw it as a huge waste of time, like

why am I doing all these things all the time and getting involved in all this stuff.

Darren: That’s interesting. At home I lived with a similar life to that, like my parents never had strong social justice ideals. So this work, even though they’re like, “good for you, you’re getting all these accolades,” but not really supportive of the work itself.

Katie: That’s still kind of the stance they take. And I think it’s foreign to them; they don’t understand it.

Themes emerging from the data:Themes emerging from the data: Facing and resisting backlash from Facing and resisting backlash from

neighborsneighbors

Katie: We had one of the very first black people living in [our city] lived with us and she was on an exchange, and she was our babysitter, and I swear she was one of the first black people in [our city] because people would stare. And we actually, neighbours actually moved away from us. Our house was always very diverse and we had foster kids and so on.

Darren: Right, so the activist group seemed to be a comfortable home for the work you were already interested in?

Katie: Well and I think really it was a group that was truly inclusive of diverse kids, and back then there was a lot of different involvement, you know, it gave us a space to kind of connect.

Themes emerging from the data:Themes emerging from the data: Facing and resisting backlash from the Facing and resisting backlash from the

community:community:Chantal (on forming a GSA in a high school): …but it

wasn’t a real GSA; it was a part of, it was a committee of the social justice club.

Darren: And so was ours. Our first GSA ever in Alberta was under our STOP umbrella and that’s how we –

Chantal: Exactly, right? And that’s how it was, like it was really sneaky and we were like “we wanna be on our own” but then it fell apart, there were no teacher sponsors. If you don’t have a teacher to do it, in a school setting you need that backup.

Chantal: We’ve had some ridiculous stuff happen down at our [Queers on Campus] office; we had a used condom stretched over our door handle one day when we showed up.

Darren: This was here on campus? Chantal: Here on campus this year. So like, there’s like

a lot of resistance, and that’s actually why we made those stickers, because we just got “lesbos suck” written on one of our posters the other day so we’re like, “enough is enough.”

Themes emerging from the data:Themes emerging from the data: Facing and resisting backlash as a teachable Facing and resisting backlash as a teachable

momentmoment

Linda: Sometimes people have misconceptions with things they don’t understand and then it’s a teachable moment and in a compassionate way, a nonviolent way, you can sometimes change people’s perspectives. You’ve been exposed to an alternative viewpoint.

Darren: Right, that’s very optimistic. And you can, I mean I think I came to a lot of revelations around diversity, difference, racism, homophobia, and sexism quite late in life. 

Linda: And some people will never change their mind. But I think a lot of times people’s minds do change. Even Klein [a right-wing politician], I remember during the Vriend situation [a human rights case] actually publicly saying he was quite ashamed at the level of hate people were saying in his office. He was quite – it made him sick, he actually said that – which was very surprising to me, for Klein to say something like that.

Themes emerging from the data:Themes emerging from the data: Growing critical awareness Growing critical awareness

Katie: I had already been exposed to things, so now I looked at all this stuff with a critical eye. And often I find myself feeling that I want something more radical, like, “We need to challenge this. Look at all the problems with this”… We were talking about this yesterday. [A friend and I] both have a lot of friends who have done trips to Africa and what not. And I think part of it is just that there’s a lack of education and awareness about different issues. People come into university and want to do something to help, and they sign up for an agency and don’t ask a lot of questions, whereas I was doing background research on questions like: What do countries think of these non-profits that go in and build schools, and what are the politics behind that, and where is the money going?

Themes emerging from the data:Themes emerging from the data: Growing critical awareness Growing critical awareness Linda: My view definitely has changed. I think I’ve

become more open to the possibilities of how things can be different and just the wider range of views. The longer and the more that you’ve had that range growing up, the more activism you’ll do…. they’re still doing things day-to-day and they’re having this compassion now and standing up to things, and working for a cause where it’s appropriate and so, I think those things happen because of the values.

Darren: I hope so, and the value of building a democracy, too; they’re just being more active citizens, they’re actually having a voice, trying to change things that they see are wrong.

Linda: Yeah, writing their MP or MLA. I continue to do that; every time there’s an election, I ask my key questions on the environment and human rights and so forth. I usually will present that to whomever I’m voting for to make sure we’re on the same page. So it might be something behind the scenes that people don’t ever talk about. So [former activists] are making more informed decisions, more informed decisions about even what they buy and how it impacts them.

Themes emerging from the data:Themes emerging from the data: Personal transformationPersonal transformationChantal: As soon as you start thinking about how

crappy racism is, or how awful homophobia is, it’s kind of hard not to realize they affect you. It’s hard to not become involved with that, or to be okay with going back to those friends who are like, “Well, gay people are gross anyway,” or “You’re the first coloured person I’ve met,” or any of those stupid comments. It’s hard to go back to that. Even if you don’t want to do anything about it, I think it’s hard to be around that once you realize how awful those things are.

Chloe: So now that I’m more involved, I’m more motivated to go back to school. I find it’s really motivating when you see something you started [continuing] even if you thought it was something small.

““Engaging Young People in Social Justice Engaging Young People in Social Justice ActivismActivism””

Other research issues emerging to date:Other research issues emerging to date: recruiting and communicating through recruiting and communicating through

electronic social media (Facebook, email, electronic social media (Facebook, email, texts)texts)

concerns over data lopsidednessconcerns over data lopsidedness seeking gender balanceseeking gender balance researcher/participant consistencyresearcher/participant consistency compiling or managing data with multiple compiling or managing data with multiple

participantsparticipants generating insights for current teacher-generating insights for current teacher-

activistsactivists finding policy relevance across several finding policy relevance across several

dimensions of social differencedimensions of social difference

Selected References

Lund, D. E., & Nabavi, M. (2008). A duo-ethnographic conversation on social justice activism: Exploring issues of identity, racism, and activism with young people. Multicultural Education, 15(4), 27-32.

Nieto, S., & Bode, P. (2008). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education (5th ed.). New York, NY: Allyn & Bacon.

Norris, J. (2008). Duoethnography. In L. M. Given (Ed.), SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods (pp. 233-236). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Norris, J., Sawyer, R., & Lund, D. E. (2011). Duoethnography: Dialogic methods for social, health, and educational research. Walnut Grove, CA: Left Coast Press.

Contact Dr. Darren Lund atContact Dr. Darren Lund atdlund@ucalgary.ca

Tel: 403-220-7365Tel: 403-220-7365www.ucalgary.ca/dlund