Language and Development

How do we talk about different parts of the world and how does that reflect our bias? In this article, Sarika Bansal talks about the cliches, double standards, and loaded terms (and images) that are unfortunately quite common.

https://thedevelopmentset.com/17-development-clich%C3%A9s-ill-be-avoiding-in-2017-46c2345a507f#.q2v0qg1gq

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Ani DiFranco, White Feminists, and Racism

There have been quite a few good articles about the problem of racism and white centering among White feminists. If you are not familiar with the current conflict, Ani DiFranco has been criticized for planning a songwriting workshop (since cancelled) at a former plantation in Louisiana. In addition to the lack of sensitivity to the issue of slavery, history, and ongoing racism, DiFranco has been criticized for how the situation was handled after the fact. This post is a good one for those of us who are white to read, examining how we can address our own racism, including what to do when we have inadvertently offended someone (with a great comparison with an accidental physical injury).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-milstein/5-ways-white-feminists-can-address-our-own-racism_b_3955065.html

Related:

“Passing for white and straight: How my looks hide my identity” by Koa Beck/Salon

This personal reflection reveals the nature of race and sexual orientation in the United States, and the related reality of privilege.

http://www.salon.com/2013/12/09/passing_for_white_and_straight_how_my_looks_hide_my_identity/

Teaching about Privilege: Microgressions

Sometimes it is hard for dominant culture students to understand the way that power and privilege are enacted in communication. These examples may be helpful.

http://microaggressions.tumblr.com/

And here’s another format, an article about the tumblr site that also describes more about the concept of microaggression: http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/racial-microagressions-you-hear-on-a-daily-basis?bffb