The ARC project stems from the overarching work of the ‘Tackling Racism on Campus’ (TRoC) project commissioned by SFC and managed by AHE on behalf of SFC, which achieved a landmark commitment from Scotland’s universities and colleges in August 2020 to support a declaration against racism. From recognising that structural racism exists in our institutions and voicing a collective will to challenge and address that, this anti-racist lens is now being applied to our curricula – which is a key structural enabler.
Link to Race Statement of Intent
It speaks to the 2nd of 8 actions required to achieve the objectives of the declaration as outlined within the TRoC Race Statement of Intent:
‘2. Supporting an Anti Racist Curriculum
Curriculum approaches must value non-European/Western approaches and include scholars, theories, experiences, and techniques from the rest of the world with equal regard. Acknowledging the historical legacy of colonisation and slavery will bring understanding to the origins and hidden nature of racism. Colleges and universities need to implement reforms in their curriculum to avert from implicit ideas that assert European culture as pre-eminent. Perhaps more importantly, educators and students must engage critically with all learning materials to instil a consciousness that allows the unlearning of racist ideas.’Tackling Racism on Campus Race Statement of Intent
Considerations
In line with TRoC, we recognise and acknowledge that racism remains in our policies, processes and practices despite efforts to the contrary. So, while this project is focused closely on curricula, we recognise that:
- Discussions around curricula are far-reaching and naturally move into other areas, but we have focused our work on curricula.
- Wider structural inequalities are at play and will need to be examined concurrently with curricula work. The work of TRoC and Tackling Underrepresentation of Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace are a part of that wider sector work.
Inspiration from The Tackling Racism Diagnostic Tool
Inspired by The Tackling Racism Diagnostic Tool, our aim is to provide outputs which help move us and our curriculum towards white allyship.
| 2. Supporting an Anti-Racist Curriculum | |
| White Supremacy | Does not engage with curricula review based on removing embedded racism, takes steps to preserve existing curriculum and prevent redress. |
| White Indifference | Continued and dedicated defence of western ‘universalism; and the right to offend’. |
| White Awareness | Engages with the concepts of historical racism and with debates around learning & teaching as vehicles, but requires ‘convincing’ in terms of application to all disciplines. |
| White Allyship | Programme of curriculum review results in curricula: free from components that reproduce racism; learning that acknowledges and addresses racism where it has existed; which expects capability to call out/question in the learning environment. |