Towards Justice: Equity and Accountability in Rehabilitation
Dr. Hiba Zafran
McGill University
Session 5 : Space for reflective practice
Welcome to this space to continue your learning. Within this space, we encourage you to engage in a reflective practice. Through this space, we aim to support you in continuing to delve into the important issues, perspectives, and approaches presented by our speaker, Dr. Hiba Zafran.
As you continue to engage in this process, we recommend you create a journal - either on paper or on your computer. In this journal, you might consider reflecting on: What do I know about equity and accountability in rehabilitation? How do I know (e.g., lived experiences, professional experiences, formal learning)? What have I learned through this talk? What questions has it raised? Where am I going? How can I continue this learning?
What will you find here?
A summary and recording of the talk
Suggested readings to further your reflections
Refection questions on the topic
We would be so pleased if you would share your thoughts in an anonymised space to share back with learners along this journey together.
Summary
White supremacy and structural violence are at the root of health and social inequities in complex ways. Such systemic problems require systemic solutions. Social accountability emerged in the 1970s in the Global South, and draws on multiple critical theories to bridge between systemic institutional design and social movements intended to empower and liberate. It focuses on creating processes that hold individuals and groups responsible for ensuring that their decisions and actions embody the forms of justice that marginalized groups demand and deserve.
This lecture outlines and illustrates principles and strategies for an intersectional approach to social and community accountability, with examples and implications from/for institutions and organizations that teach about and offer rehabilitation.
PDF slides
We are pleased to share the PDF of Dr. Hiba Zafran talk.
Accountability in Rehab-Zafran (June 7 2022).pdfSuggested Readings
The University of Alberta's Library has a wonderful set of resources for exploring Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/edi/home.
As you continue your learning, we would recommend you explore these readings.
Special Issue: Occupational Therapy Now, March-April, (forthcoming in 2022). Socially Accountable Occupational Therapy. [open access - link will be provided when available]
Okun, T. (2021). White Supremacy Culture Characteristics.
Document:White Supremacy Culture - Still Here.pdf
Byrne, H ., Cirillo, A ., Murphy- Gelderman, W., Petrucci, D., Gamondele, N . & Zafran, H. (2020). Stories of Paediatric Rehabilitation Practitioners with/in Indigenous Communities. A Guide to Becoming Culturally Safer. Occupational Therapy Program, McGill University, Montréal, QC. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28446.56641
Reflection Questions
Reflection Q1: In what ways does White supremacy show up in the structure and processes of the current organization/program you are in? How does it impact you based on your positionality? How does it impact others? What are some ways you can counter these processes?
White supremacy: “White supremacy is not simply the idea that whites are superior to people of colour (although it certainly is that), but a deeper premise that supports this idea – the definition of whites as the norm or standard for human, and people of colour as an inherent deviation from that norm.” (DiAngelo, 2017). Although White supremacy is too often only linked with racism, as a form of imperialism, White supremacy underlies systemic forces of capitalism, globalization, medicalization, and neoliberalism (Grenier, 2020).
Reflection Q2: Of the different ways in which accountability can be defined and practiced, how can you make your practice more accountable tomorrow morning? Which principle or strategy is within reach from your position in your context?