Redefining Allyship: transforming race relations in higher education through a post-qualitative inquiry

该项目将探索英国两所高等教育机构（HEIs）中自选的少数民族和非少数民族学生对“盟友关系”的看法。“盟友关系”是社会正义活动家圈子里使用的一个概念，用来描述特权成员支持或推进更边缘化群体/成员利益的行动。它既适用于整个社会，也适用于特定的机构背景，如大学或工作场所。最近，在研究“盟友关系”的地方，重点是解释围绕白人盟友关系的动机和争议（Sumerau等人，2021）。虽然自我认同的“盟友”被视为改变社会关系的潜在杠杆（Ashburn-Nardo, 2018），但关于盟友关系及其角色和功能如何在制度背景下发挥作用的实证研究很少（Salter & Migliaccio, 2019）。我的研究将通过探索学生之间盟友关系的不同形式和结果来解决这一差距，并提供有关机构如何识别和支持盟友的社会变革行动的见解（Sumerau等人，2021）。研究问题是：RQ1：从少数民族和非少数民族学生的角度来看，盟友关系是如何定义和构建的？RQ2：当前同盟关系的表现是什么？它们在个人和机构层面上是如何发挥作用的？RQ3：由于学生之间的不同行动和联盟形式，各院校及其政策框架可以采取哪些应对措施？研究目标是：-探索种族关系背景下的学生联盟概念，在两所英国高等教育机构中-为两所高等教育机构中关于种族关系的变革性变革创建政策响应框架将借鉴批判性种族理论（CRT）的理论框架，该理论框架揭示了少数群体面临的歧视是结构性的，并且可能以可见和隐藏的方式存在于高等教育中（Sue, 2010）。学者们揭示了机构如何为更大的“包容”、“整合”或“多样性”而行动，却自相矛盾地维持种族等级和不平等（Crenshaw 2002; Ahmed 2012）。因此，CRT坚持持续的批判观点对该项目是有价值的，因为歧视和反种族主义的解决办法都需要在体制范围内分析其功能。我将在两所不同的高等教育机构中使用批判性的后定性方法，以讲习班的形式使用创造性的方法，如拼贴/身体映射，来生成详细的数据，以了解学生对盟友关系的不同定义和构建。仔细使用这些创造性的方法已经被证明可以围绕敏感和难以表达的话题展开对话（Kangas, 2019; Coleman 2020）。实地考察的后定性方法寻求将制度背景中超越人类的因素包括在内，例如事件、数字空间、政策、对象和“介于两者之间的所有事物”（Ulmer 2017, p832）。这种“深度经验主义”（Savranksy等人，2017）被认为可以通过关注机构的组合和运作来促进对社会或系统正义的探究。这有助于从通常未被充分探索的角度理解复杂问题（St Pierre, 2021）。这些创意研讨会的成果，包括对变革的政策响应框架，将通过制作和分发zine输出反馈给学生和机构（Todd, Watson, 2006）。这是为了承认学生是知识的生产者，并旨在为变革行动产生对话。

This project will explore perceptions of 'allyship' among a self-selected group of minority and non-minority students in two UK higher education institutions (HEIs). "Allyship" is a concept used in social justice activist circles to describe actions of privileged members to support or advance the interests of more marginalised groups/members. It can apply both in society at large, and within particular institutional contexts, such as universities or workplaces. Recently, where 'allyship' has been studied, the focus has been on explaining the motivations and controversies around White allyship (Sumerau et al., 2021). While self-identified 'allies' are seen as a potential lever for transforming social relations (Ashburn-Nardo, 2018), there is little empirical research on how allyship, its role and functions work within institutional contexts (Salter & Migliaccio, 2019). My research will address this gap by exploring the diverse forms and outcomes of allyship among students, and offer insights into how institutions may recognise, and support the socially transformative actions of allies (Sumerau et al., 2021).The research questions are: RQ1: How are allyships defined and constructed from the perspective of ethnic minority and non-minority students? RQ2: What are the current manifestations of allyship and how do they function at personal and institutional levels? RQ3: What range of responses become available to institutions and their policy frameworks, as a result of different actions and forms of allyship between students?The research objectives are to: - Explore the concept of student allyships in the context of race relations, in two UK HEIs - Create a policy response framework for transformative change regarding race relations in the two HEIsI will draw on the theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT), which sheds light on the manner in which the discrimination faced by minority groups is structural and may exist in HE in visible and hidden ways (Sue, 2010). Scholars have revealed how institutions' moves for greater 'inclusion', 'integration' or 'diversity', can paradoxically maintain racial hierarchy and inequality (Crenshaw 2002; Ahmed 2012). CRT's insistence on a sustained critical perspective is thus valuable to this project as both discrimination and anti-racist solutions need to be analysed in their functioning within institutional contexts. I will use critical post-qualitative methodology in the form of workshops that use creative methods, such as collaging/body-mapping, in two different HEIs to generate detailed data to understand different definitions and constructions of allyship by students. Careful use of these creative methods has been shown to open conversations around sensitive and hard-to-articulate topics (Kangas, 2019; Coleman 2020). The post-qualitative approach to fieldwork seeks to include the more-than-human elements in institutional contexts, such as events, digital spaces, policies, objects, and 'all the things in between' (Ulmer 2017, p832). This kind of 'deep empiricism' (Savranksy et al, 2017) is claimed to facilitate enquiry into social or systemic justice by attending to the assemblage and functioning of institutions. This can facilitate an understanding of complex issues from typically underexplored perspectives (St Pierre, 2021). Findings from these creative workshops, including a policy response framework for transformative change will be fed back to students and the institutions through the production and distribution of a zine output (Todd, Watson, 2006). This is to acknowledge students as producers of knowledge and intended to generate dialogue towards transformative action.