“Trickle-Down” Racial Empathy in American Higher Education: Moving Beyond Performative Wokeness and Academic Panels to Spark Racial Equity

Recent racial justice protests in response to police-related brutality in the U.S. illuminate tensions reflective of persistent power differentials and social and racial traumas of which the U.S. education system has played a pronounced role in both historically producing and, more recently, reproducing by trafficking in an ethos of “trickle-down” racial empathy. Asking questions of the reader, this reflection explores how institutions of higher education persistently fail to accurately diagnose and problematize systemic racism and their role in mediating it, thus failing to engender impactful policy toward diversity, equity, and inclusion within and outside of their academic communities.

Enhancing intergroup communication in healthcare: The role of the receiver

This paper explores how the communication behaviour of another can have significant personal and professional impact and, in turn, put others in harm’s way. In healthcare, in a continual attempt to address known barriers to communication, such as fear, hierarchy and power differentials, significant human and financial resources are deployed to develop and teach new and existing methods of how to speak up. Despite the effort, speaking up remains difficult, and as a result, patients are still being harmed. The author’s personal story highlights the fact that maybe, until now, we have not been addressing the whole issue.

Engaging People and Co-Producing Research with Persons and Communities to Foster Person-Centred Care: A Meta-Synthesis

Introduction: Engagement and co-production in healthcare research and innovation are crucial for delivering person-centred interventions in underserved communities, but the knowledge of effective strategies to target this population is still vague, limiting the provision of person-centred care. Our research aimed to identify essential knowledge to foster engagement and co-production. Materials and Methods: A meta-synthesis research design was used to compile existing qualitative research papers on health communication, engagement, and empowerment in vulnerable groups in high-income countries (HICs) from 2008 to 2018. A total of 23 papers were selected and analysed. Results: ‘Design and recruitment’ and ‘engagement and co-production’ thematic areas are presented considering the factors related to researcher–communities attunement and the strategical plans for conducting research. The insights are discussed in light of the literature. Long-term alliances, sustainable structures, and strengthened bonds are critical factors for producing real long-term change, empowering persons and communities, and paving the way to person-centred care. Conclusions: The enhancement of the recruitment, involvement, and empowerment of traditionally disengaged communities and individuals depends on the awareness and analysis of social determinants, power differentials and specific tactics, and the capacity of researchers and individuals to apply all these principles in real-world practice.

Learning together: A case study of a partnership to co-create assessment criteria

This case study outlines a staff-student partnership to co-create generic assessment criteria to use in a UK business school. It highlights the potential for staff-student partnerships to create a temporary subfield, in which the established power differentials of academia are dissolved and partnership values can be established. We draw on a series of 10 semi-structured interviews with partnership participants. The values that underpin partnerships are linked to three major phases of the partnership process: establishing the partnership, partnership operation and atmosphere, and the partnership outcomes. The findings indicate that the values of authenticity, reciprocity, and inclusion are critical antecedents to establishing a successful partnership and that careful attention should be paid to establishing the partnership. The case extends our understanding of the partnership process by emphasising these antecedents. The study is multi-authored, which reflects an extension to the partnership process described in the case study.

Collaborative music therapy; Determining the benefits and challenges of collaborative work from a student’s perspective

<p>This study describes the benefits and challenges experienced by a student music therapist on placement at a special school in New Zealand. While working alongside an experienced music therapist at the school, and taking external supervision from another, I was able to reflect the challenges and benefits of this unique collaboration. The process of collaboration is complex especially when collaborating parties have differing roles that potentially create power differentials. Findings have been generated from secondary analysis of my reflective journal and clinical data collected while on placement. The findings explore the diverse range of possible benefits and challenges of the interactions that the collaboration enabled. The study concludes that despite the many challenges in maintaining a successful collaboration, it provides therapists with many extra opportunities for our participants, as well as a flexible learning environment for a student music therapist.</p>

Collaborative music therapy; Determining the benefits and challenges of collaborative work from a student’s perspective

<p>This study describes the benefits and challenges experienced by a student music therapist on placement at a special school in New Zealand. While working alongside an experienced music therapist at the school, and taking external supervision from another, I was able to reflect the challenges and benefits of this unique collaboration. The process of collaboration is complex especially when collaborating parties have differing roles that potentially create power differentials. Findings have been generated from secondary analysis of my reflective journal and clinical data collected while on placement. The findings explore the diverse range of possible benefits and challenges of the interactions that the collaboration enabled. The study concludes that despite the many challenges in maintaining a successful collaboration, it provides therapists with many extra opportunities for our participants, as well as a flexible learning environment for a student music therapist.</p>

Sexual Harassment in the Academy: Harnessing the Growing Labor Movement in Higher Education to Address Sexual Harassment Against Graduate Workers

Higher education is not immune to the epidemic of sexual harassment in the United States, particularly sexual harassment of graduate workers. This is due largely to power differentials of status and income, as academia relies on low-wage work. While the literature shows sexual harassment is prevalent across disciplines, current work to address the problem does not account for graduate worker precarity. The graduate labor movement, which addresses precarity, is beginning to tackle sexual harassment. We review how the labor and anti-gender-based violence movements in higher education should come together to prevent sexual harassment, presenting recommendations for structural changes to academia.

Peace (Re)building Initiatives: Insights from Southern Kaduna, Nigeria

Violent conflicts and crime have reached new heights in Nigeria, as cases of kidnapping, armed banditry, and communal unrests continue to tear at the core of the ethnoreligious divides in the country. Southern Kaduna has witnessed a virulent spree of communal unrest in northern Nigeria over the last decade due to its polarized politics and power differentials between the various groups in the area, particularly the Christians and Muslims, who are almost evenly split. In response to their experiences of violence, the people of that region have also shown incredible resilience and grit in transforming their stress and suffering. This policy note focuses on the transformative practices of the Fulani and other ethnic communities in southern Kaduna in terms of how they problem-solve deep-seated socio-political rivalries and violent relations by working through their shared identity, history, and cultures of peace. The note explores how peace practitioners and donor agencies could consolidate local practices of sustaining peace as complementary or alternative resources to the state’s liberal system.