Abstract
This paper documents the evaluation of a three-day program entitled “Race, Culture, Indigeneity and the Politics of Disadvantage,” which was delivered in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia with the aim of promoting Reflexive Antiracism (RA), a novel diversity training approach. To assess the impact of the program on its participants, the Reflexive Antiracism Scale- Indigenous (RAS-I) was devised and administered before and after the program both to participants and a matched control group. The program increased Reflexive Antiracism among participants through an enhanced understanding of whiteness, racialisation and White Racial Identity. Future studies are required to advance both the concept of Reflexive Antiracism and its measurement.
Highlights
Reflexive Antiracism (RA) aims to foster a sustainable and effective approach to antiracism that avoids both the dangers of essentialism and ‘backlash’ effects in terms of emotional responses
This paper documents the evaluation of a three-day program entitled “Race, Culture, Indigeneity and the Politics of Disadvantage,” which was delivered in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia with the aim of promoting Reflexive Antiracism (RA), a novel diversity training approach
We identified five broad areas with which to evaluate RA from existing antiracism and diversity training scholarship
Summary
Reflexive Antiracism (RA) aims to foster a sustainable and effective approach to antiracism that avoids both the dangers of essentialism and ‘backlash’ effects in terms of emotional responses. It has been found that motivated antiracists, i.e., those who have an internal motivation to respond without prejudice (Plant & Devine, 1998), have a tendency to experience discomfort, distress, guilt, fear, anxiety, anger, inaction and withdrawal (Nile & Straton, 2003; O'Brien, 2009; Spanierman & Heppner, 2004; Tatum, 1992) These emotions can be caused, in part, by a disconnection between an antiracist worldview and ‘unconscious’ racist feelings, thoughts and behaviours that reflect prevailing social norms (Sommers & Norton, 2006). In the long-term such emotions may result in ‘burnout’ (Slocum, 2009; Smith & Redington, 2010), defensiveness/resistance (Ancis & Szymanski, 2001; Kernahan & Davis, 2007), reduced support for affirmative action; and/or heightened prejudice (Case, 2007). Some scholars have noted the potential for diversity training to both essentialise minority and white identities as well as create ‘backlash’ effects, with some studies indicating that up to one fifth of participants have increased levels of racial prejudice after attending diversity training (Fredericks, 2008; Paradies et al, 2009; Trenerry, Franklin, & Paradies, 2010)
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