SCENARIO.

Aalimah is a female student of Iranian origin who is also a Muslim.

On the first week of the course her tutor disclosed to the group that she is an atheist and that she believed that god or gods are a manmade construct. Aalimah felt like the tutor’s view was very final and left no room for discussion about faith identities.

Later in the course during a presentation of her work in which Aalimah had made some visual art on the wearing of the hijab, she found the feedback from some of her group quite disturbing.

Some people assumed that she was forced to wear hijab and therefore sexually oppressed. The feedback session turned very quickly into a debate by her peers about terrorism.

Aalimah believes that the presentation was not facilitated well by the tutor and as a result she felt under attack by a minority of classmates. Who were posing all sorts of difficult questions that Aalimah felt that she was not able to answer.

The 2010 Equality Act made religion a protected characteristic. This legislation requires universities as public institutions to not discriminate against religious groups, which includes accommodating reasonable religious practice on campus facilities.

I actually made the work because I wear my hijab and wanted to talk about the positive act of wearing one as an Islamic feminist. Instead the crit quickly descended into a really disturbing experience with my classmates holding a full on debate about terrorist attacks which moved totally away from the points that I was trying to make. I really feel like my tutor should have taken control instead it was left to me to bring the discussion back around to the piece of work I had made and its intended positive outcome. I did not feel that my tutor created a safe space for me to discuss the piece of work and I felt ganged up on by some of my peers. You know people talk about art environments like you can wear what you want and express yourself how you want but in my experience this is not true. I used to come to Uni without wearing my hijab and I used to have a completely different experience.

HOW DO I CREATE SAFES SPACE FOR MY STUDENTS IN CLASS?

Option 1:

1. Ask students to think about the best group discussions they have been a part of, and reflect on what made these discussions so satisfying.

2. Next, ask students to think about the worst group discussions in which they have participated and reflect on what made these discussions so unsatisfactory.

3. For each of the positive characteristics identified, ask students to suggest three things the group could do to ensure that these characteristics are present.

4. For each of the negative characteristics identified, ask students to suggest three things the group could do to ensure that these characteristics are not present.

5. Use students’ suggestions to draft a set of ground rules to which you all agree, and distribute them in writing.

Option 2:

Set rules at induction

Open discussion should be at the heart of university life. The more people we can involve in debates, the stronger and more representative the results will be. Tutor group discussions should be facilitated in a safe anti-oppressive space – whether offline or online – that is welcoming, engaging and supportive.

To ensure this, it is often necessary to establish some guidelines for participants. Start by discussing with your group that these rules are a work in progress and that suggestions for improvements will always be welcomed.

Suggested Rules:

1. Racism, as well as ageism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia, ableism or prejudice based on ethnicity, nationality, class, gender, gender presentation, language ability, asylum status or religious affiliation is unacceptable and will be challenged.

2. Respect each other’s physical and emotional boundaries, always get explicit verbal consent before touching someone or crossing boundaries.

3. Be aware of the space you take up and the positions and privileges you bring, including racial, class and gender privilege.

4. Avoid assuming the opinions and identifications of other participants.

5. Recognise that we try not to judge, put each other down or compete.

6. Be aware of the language you use in discussion and how you relate to others. Try to speak slowly and clearly and use uncomplicated language.

7. Foster a spirit of mutual respect: Listen to the wisdom everyone brings to the group.

8. Give each person the time and space to speak. In large groups, or for groups using facilitation: Raise your hand to speak.

9. “Respect the person; challenge their behaviour.”

10. If someone violates these agreements a discussion or mediation process can happen, depending on the wishes of the person who was violated. If a serious violation happens to the extent that someone feels unsafe, they can be asked to leave the space and/or speak with a person or process nominated by those present.

11. While ground rules are a collective responsibility, everyone is also personally responsible for their own behaviour.

For further context please look at: shadesofnoir.org.uk/safe-spaces-what-are-they-andwhy-they-matter/ www.divamag.co.uk/Diva-Magazine/Lifestyle/Safespaces-Being-Muslim-in-the-queer-community/

Option 3:

In cases of prejudice where Muslim people are accused of being inclined to self-segregate due to religious reasons and not wanting to mix. This kind of racist attitude ignores the fact that there is a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in the West (see question 2.) Making it essential for Muslims, women, in particular, to assess and determine which spaces are safe and unsafe.

Creating a safe space at university means recognising that anti-Muslim bias is a form of racism and using the tools that you might usually employ to fight other forms of racism must be adapted to fight this new grotesque phenomenon

HOW DO I CHALLENGE ISLAMOPHOBIA IN THE WORKSPACE?

Oxford Dictionary definition of Islamophobia:

Dislike or prejudice against Islam or Muslims, especially as a political force

Know the facts.

Your students will be aware of the growing tensions across Europe and the rest of the world. In France, the ban on face covering, (The Guardian, 2017) in the United Kingdom the Brexit vote has divided communities over issues such as migration controls. This means that many of your students from ethnic religious communities are experiencing racism everyday! (THE LOCAL fr, 2015)

According to a report by Tell MAMA anti–Muslim attacks and abuse in public spaces rose by 326% in 2015, with women being disproportionally targeted. One in 10 of all incidents reported to the organisation happened in educational establishments. (The Guardian, 2016)

It is not only Muslims who are the targets of Islamophobic hate crime. People from different racial and religious groups such as Sikhs, Hindus, People of African heritage as well as other south Asian communities have also become targets of abuse.

Research shows that Islamophobic attacks and racism increase after world events. Such as 9/11and/or the 2017 Westminster bridge attack. (Hanes and Machin, 2014)

Further Reading:

The Guardian (2017). Faith Communities are not welcome in Europe: views on the headscarf ban ruling. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/14/faithcommunities-are-not-welcome-in-europe-views-on-theheadscarf-ban-ruling [Accessed 15 May 2017].

THE LOCAL fr (2015). Burqua ban five years on- We created a monster. [online] p.12th October. Available at: https://www. thelocal.fr/20151012/france-burqa-ban-five-years-on-wecreate-a-monster [Accessed 15 May 2017].

The Guardian (2016). Incidents of anti–Muslim abuse up by 326% in 2015 Tell MAMA. [online] Available at: https:// www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jun/29/incidents- of-anti-muslim-abuse-up-by-326-in-2015-says-tell-mama [Accessed 11 May 2017]. https://www.tellmamauk.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/tell_ mama_2015_annual_report.pdf

Hanes, E. and Machin, S. (2014). Hate Crime in the Wake of Terror Attacks, Evidence From 7/7 and 9/11. [online] London: Sage, pp. Vol 30 Issue 3, 2014. Available at: http:journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1043986214536665[A ccessed 11 May 2017].

B ) Training.

Study the Inclusive Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (elective unit) at UAL. Developed by Aisha Richards and Terry Finnigan. This unit can be studied as a single unit on its own or as part of the Pg cert qualification. On this course you will be able to develop strategies that will confront Islamaphobia. You will receive training and support to create and promote artefacts that challenge ant-Muslim prejudice.

During the unit you will:

• Attend a series of workshops

• Explore current debates about student diversity

• Consider theoretical models of diversity and social justice in higher education, and reflect on your own position and assumptions about diversity and inclusivity

• Complete three blogging tasks responding to articles or websites and reflect on your blog experience www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/teaching-and-learning/ professional-development/course-units/inclusive-teachingand-learning-in-higher-education-elective-unit www.diigo.com/cloud/shadesofnoir www.runnymedetrust.org/blog/islamophobia-20-years-onstill-a-challenge-for-us-all muslima.globalfundforwomen.org

• Produce an artefact that promotes inclusivity in learning and teaching along with a reflective account which links inclusive learning theory to practice (1500 words).

Make sure that workspace material like newspapers and online publications are free of bias. Ensure that your students are equipped in your learning space to question and interrogate ‘fake news from real news’.

HOW CAN I SUPPORT MY STUDENT’S RELIGIOUS NEEDS?

Religious expression is increasingly more visible and more diverse, with many universities having ten or more faith societies representing the major world religions, new religious movements such as Krishna Consciousness and neo-paganism, and atheist/secularist/humanist societies.

The University has a responsibility to all its students and staff to provide a Multi-faith Chaplaincy. The chaplaincy should be equipped to support students and staff from diverse faith backgrounds.

Quiet spaces for prayer and personal reflection should be on each University site. Make sure this is included in induction information and induction tours

All tutors should be provided with a compulsory multifaith calendar - A multi-faith calendar should include listings of major faith events marked by students and staff at UAL. Tutors can use the Calendar to help inform the development of timetables and to plan events.