Reflections on operationalizing an anti-racism pedagogy: teaching as regional storytelling

Anti‐racist learning and teaching in British geography

“…In Geography, there has been an interest in the links between teaching and anti‐racism for several decades (cf. Alderman et al, 2019; Dwyer, 1999; Eaves, 2020; Jackson, 1989; Kobayashi, 1999; Mahtani, 2006; Oswin, 2020). Contemporary concerns about this topic were poignantly articulated in Domosh's (2015) provocative AAG column “Why is our Geography curriculum so white?” In this paper, Domosh points to the pressing need to assist one another in building a new intellectual history, and ways of teaching, because such moves promise to enrich the discipline for everyone.…”

“The Most Insidious Legacy”—Teaching About Redlining and the Impact of Racial Residential Segregation

“…There has been significant research in how pedagogical practice can mitigate the distortions traditional geographic education can apply to underserved populations. Alderman et al (2018), for example, endorse the reconceptualization of geography education to what they term "regional storytelling, " in which teachers can adapt their practices to carry out "anti-racist, regionally-based" lessons which would promote anti-racism (1). Barndt (2016) outlines a learning project, the Social Justice Tour of Corvallis (Oregon), in which students engage in a bus-and-walking tour of that city with community narratives "highlighting pre-1960s stories from marginalized individuals and communities based on race, class, gender, and sexuality" (213).…”

Social geography III: Committing to social justice

“…Relatedly, Alderman et al (2019) argue that anti-racist pedagogies should be employed more often in the discipline. This, they argue, is not only about teaching such issues in the classroom but is also about how we 'recognize the role of educational institutions, practices, and practitioners in producing and reproducing racism' (p. 2).…”

“…For example, Evans (2019) critically explores the challenges involved in teaching in the UK about female genital mutilation/cutting in Africa, and Esson (2018) recommends resisting the whiteness of the geography curriculum by integrating critical race theory, social justice and debates about decolonisation into teaching. Relatedly, Alderman et al (2019) argue that anti-racist pedagogies should be employed more often in the discipline. This, they argue, is not only about teaching such issues in the classroom but is also about how we ‘recognize the role of educational institutions, practices, and practitioners in producing and reproducing racism’ (p. 2).…”