Seeking rhythm in white noise: working with whiteness in English education
Abstract
Purpose – The authors of this paper are both white English education scholars with antiracist agendas. This conceptual manuscript aims – in part – to better understand the backlash both of them have faced in trying to contribute to antiracist teaching and research in English education. Design/methodology/approach – This manuscript uses practices of narrative inquiry to tell and interpret stories about the authors’ work.
Findings – The authors hope to critique traditional notions of white resistance in favor of more careful theorizations of whiteness that can be helpful for teachers and scholars in English education and English Language Arts (ELA)with an interest in facilitation antiracist pedagogy.
Originality/value – Ultimately, with this work, the authors hope to provoke readers to consider how work with whiteness is processed by white people, especially in terms of teaching and learning in English education and ELA. They believe the field of English education should begin to discuss this issue.
Keywords Identity, Literacy and identity, Critical literacy Paper type Research paper
Reference
Tanner, S. J., & Berchini, C. (2017). Seeking rhythm in white noise: working with whiteness in English education. English Teaching: Practice & Critique, 16(1), 40–54. https://doi.org/10.1108/ETPC-11-2016-0143
Journal
English Teaching: Practice and Critique
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
no
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
- Narrative Inquiry
- Self-Study
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
Preservice Sample Size
0
Other Participant Data
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- narrative journals
- no sources stated
Data Analysis Tools
- narrative analysis (Labov)
Researcher Positionality
- Inside (studying their own practices)
Research Questions
In other words, rather than reacting – almost compulsively – perhaps we can begin to move past the white noise that is produced when white people talk about race. What might such pedagogical interventions look like? ...Is it possible to model a different way for white people to engage discussions of whiteness? (p. 51)
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes