The purpose of this section is to introduce the concept of positionality, bias, and harm, specifically how we can prevent harm upfront and address it should it occur. This is also related portions of the ARDEI Harm Prevention Worksheet. Please watch the video and read the information below for a more detailed description.
Understanding your positionality and unconscious bias is important when discussing ARDEI topics, as these influence your perspective, personal experiences, and actions. It is important to learn to be empathetic to the experiences of those with differing identity regardless of your own. The first step to this is to reflect on your identities and how these identities have impacted your own experiences and perspectives. You might consider participating in the Social Identity Wheel activity yourself (linked) to undergo this reflection process.
It is also important to understand the power dynamics between faculty, TAs, and students and how that can make TAs and students hesitant to speak up if they witness or experience inequity, microaggressions, harassment, or even harm. It may benefit instructors to address this directly in class and invite students and TAs to speak up should any harm occur.
While we want to address ARDEI topics in course, we want to ensure we do so in such a way that does not cause harm to students, TAs, instructors, or others. The first step to preventing harm is understanding the types of harm that can be caused. Dr. Susanna Calkins at the Searle Center at Northwestern University explains that there are two types of harm:
Some students in the classroom may hold marginalized identities and/or for some of whom these type of problems/discussions/cases studies may not be just an academic exercise—this may be a part of their lived experience, identities or backgrounds. These exercises may be triggering.
There is significant harm caused when oppressive systems and systemic inequities are not interrogated and explored, but are allowed to remain in place, sustaining systematic oppressive thinking and activities. This larger harm can happen when assumptions and biases are allowed to remain unchecked, and in place.
Ideally, we are addressing the second type of harm by going through this exercise, writing these homework problems, and discussing these topics in the classroom. Those discussions must still be done with care, which the community guidelines ideally facilitate.
By asking instructors to first understand their positionality and bias before writing problems, rely on resources and research to write the problems, and asking a series of questions about the problem afterward, we are ideally addressing the first type of harm. Please take care when writing your problems to consider which community’s voice and position is being uplifted and what information is strictly necessary to explain the problem without digging up excessive trauma. Consider running your example problem by a colleague or a few colleagues; other pairs of eyes may help catch potential harm before it happens. You can use the checklist we developed for the purpose of this workshop (which you will be expected to complete for your own problem, and complete when reviewing others’ problems during the course of the workshop) for all future problems you develop!
Harm may still occur despite best attempts. If it happens, be honest with students that, like them, you continue to learn. Apologize and seek to understand how this harm arose, and consequently how to avoid such harm in the future. As you may not be aware you instigated harm when it happens, we encourage faculty to create an environment where students feel comfortable bringing forward harm if felt so an open-minded discussion can be had.
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