Some Anti-Oppression initiatives at Canadian Universities.
ANTI-OPPRESSION TRAINING
University of Toronto. “Anti-Oppressive Practices: Power, Privilege, and Justice in the University Classroom,” Teaching Assistants’ Training Program, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, https://tatp.utoronto.ca/teaching-toolkit/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/privilege-power-and-justice/, accessed March 24, 2023.
- Social identities; anti-oppressive teaching practice; privilege; power; resources.
- Didactic.
Western University. “Anti-Oppression Training,” Workshops, Own Your Future, Intercultural and Social Fluency, https://www.uwo.ca/ownyourfuture/modules/intercultural_and_social_fluency/social_inequalities.html, accessed March 24, 2023.
- “This workshop provides a forum to explore how diversity issues can affect any environment. Participants will discuss power and privilege, mythical norms, and how they’re reinforced through social practice, assumptions, and stereotypes. Participants will also explore the concept of intersectionality and will work with case studies grounded in a campus environment to determine effective ways to be an ally.”
ANTI-OPPRESSION IN RESPONSE TO 2020
Concordia University. “Anti-Oppression Statement,” Department of Theatre, https://www.concordia.ca/finearts/theatre/about/our-guiding-principles/anti-oppression-statement.html , accessed March 24, 2023.
- “We ask all personnel engaged in our Department to read over the full Anti-Oppression Statement.”
- “our Department has been working towards adopting anti-oppression frameworks into our curricula and programming”
- “The global events of 2020 show us we must all redouble our efforts.”
University of Waterloo. “Anti-Oppression Knowledge Integrators (AOK) working group,” Knowledge Integration, https://uwaterloo.ca/knowledge-integration/aok#faq, accessed March 24, 2023.
- The Knowledge Integration program was founded in 2008.
- “On June 9, 2020, the Department of Knowledge Integration issued an open letter on our individual and collective responsibilities to work together continuously to educate ourselves about and work against institutional racism, anti-Black racism, white supremacy, settler colonialism, and oppression of all forms. In particular, we acknowledge that deep, systemic societal factors impact the racial and epistemic diversity in our own immediate community. As a response, AOK was formed to identify opportunities to advance anti-racism and anti-oppression in our curriculum and extra-curricular activities, and to contribute to the broader anti-oppression cause.”
- About the Department of Knowledge Integration: https://uwaterloo.ca/knowledge-integration/about-department-knowledge-integration
ANTI-OPPRESSION AT McGILL UNIVERSITY
QPRIG (Quebec Public Interest Research Group) McGill, “Our Mandate,” https://qpirgmcgill.org/our-mandate-new/, accessed March 24, 2023.
- QPIRG is “a student-initiated, student-funded, student-run organization that actively works towards social and environmental justice.”
- “QPIRG-McGill has an anti-oppressive mandate, meaning that we are opposed to all forms of structural and interpersonal oppression, including but not limited to oppression on the basis of class, gender, race, sexual orientation, and dis/ability.”
- What is meant by “interpersonal oppression”? And where is the line drawn by “including but not limited to [bolding mine]”?
McGill. SWRK219 Anti-Oppression Social Work Practice (3 Credits), eCalendar, Winter 2023, https://www.mcgill.ca/study/2022-2023/courses/swrk-219, accessed March 24, 2023.
- “Overview Social Work : Social work policy and practice, including an examination of discrimination and oppressions, identity and social location, reflexivity, intersectionality, contemporary anti-oppression movements, access and equity in human services and their implications.”
Anonymous. “Racism and Worker Oppression Run Rampant in SSMU,” The McGill Daily, February 19, 2022, https://www.mcgilldaily.com/2022/02/racism-and-worker-oppression-run-rampant-in-ssmu/, accessed March 24, 2023.
- SSMU is the Students’ Society of McGill University.
- Anonymous complains that “Although these complaints [about an SSMU executive] were sent to the Board of Directors in accordance with SSMU Human Resources procedures, the Board has still not taken any action to discipline the executive in question.” But also that, “The executive has so far been let off with little more than a slap on the wrist, in the form of ‘equity training.'”
McGill University. “Our Shared Spaces: Intro to Anti-Oppression,” Event, Channels, McGill University News and Events, January 26, 2022, https://www.mcgill.ca/channels/channels/event/our-shared-spaces-intro-anti-oppression-335512, accessed March 24, 2023.
- Zoom Webinar. (see next entry)
- “Learning Objectives:
– Define anti-oppression and related terminology
– Reflect on their positionality and privilege
– Explore how oppression manifests in society
– Investigate how power/privilege and oppression manifest in their own lives”
McGill University. “Introduction to Anti-Oppression,” Event, myInvolvement: A student Services Initiative, February 8, 2021, https://www.mcgill.ca/involvement/channels/event/introduction-anti-oppression-327444, accessed March 24, 2023.
- Zoom Webinar.
- “In this workshop, participants will receive an introduction to the concept of anti-oppression. Connections will be drawn between university commitments and the goals of anti-oppression. The workshop will leverage Zoom’s interactivity to engage participants in understanding equity centered terminology. Learners will explore how expressions of oppression manifest in policies, society, as well as on campus. They will also reflect on positionality and brainstorm how they may mobilize their privilege to make campus a better place.”
Vignarajah, Ajantha. “McGill, Manadatory [sic] Anti-racism/anti-oppression course for all programs,” Petition, Change.org, 2020, https://www.change.org/p/mcgill-university-mcgill-manadatory-anti-racism-anti-oppression-course-for-all-programs, accessed March 24, 2023.
- 2, 496 signatures to date.
- “The proposal is to have this mandatory Anti-racism/Anti-oppression course a requirement for all degrees/programs… The school holds a lack of accountability for its role in continuing to uphold systematic racism, and the history its played in oppressing First Peoples, Black people and other marginalized groups…There is no accountability for the fact that James McGill the founder of McGill, held people in slavery. First Peoples and Black People created the campus against their will as they were enslaved. The James McGill statue and other colonial artwork is still up all over campus, and the school has still not made an effort to take it down.”
McGill University. “SP0126: Anti-Oppression Programme,” Sustainability, McGill, February 2013-April 2015, https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sp0126-anti-oppression-programme, accessed March 24, 2023.
- Rez Life McGill: https://rezonatemcgill.wordpress.com
- “The ‘Anti-Oppression Programme’ Project sought to establish a new dialogue and standards for acceptable practices of social, human and institutional sustainability in issues that new students at McGill Residences face such as race, religion, culture, mental health and coping. The programme, which was led by coordinator Emily Yee Clare, developed workshops and resources for students and staff in Residences and within the McGill Community.”
- Includes: Emily Yee Clare describing the project in a YouTube video; a full project description; photos; and connected groups and projects.
- Clare, Emily Yee. Residences Anti-Oppression Program: End of Contract Presentation: https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/files/sustainability/spf0126_rezantioprogr_finalreportpresentation_april2015.pdf
McGill University. “Anti-Oppression Training at McGill,” YouTube, Nov 3, 2014, accessed March 24, 2023.
- 4 minutes.
- “In an effort to raise awareness about oppressive behaviours, McGill has begun anti-oppression training for its students and staff who work in McGill residences.”
- “Social Sustainability, The Anti-Opression Project” (08 seconds)
Keeping An Eye On EDI 