From a stranger to a ‘one-of-us’ ally: A new Confucian approach to community allyship

Abstract

ABSTRACT Promoting social inclusion and supporting positive outcomes for marginalised groups through allyship has been a persistent feature of community-orientated psychological theories. Central to such works are mutually beneficial relationships between scholarly activists and communities. In considering such collaborations, the relevance of the Confucian concept of Ren (benevolent, human-heartedness) to allyship is clear. This approach features a Chinese form of relationalism, which involves transitions across different levels of interpersonal relations. From this perspective, establishing allyship involves a process whereby scholar activists’ transition from being a stranger to a one-of-us community participant. This transition is exemplified through reflections on a reciprocal collaboration between the first author and the Townsville Chinese Club. In theorising this example of allyship from a Confucian standpoint, we highlight the importance of understanding and enacting cultural nuances for establishing ethical and effective allyship in contemporary multicultural societies.