REPORT: CREATING SAFE SPACES

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nCreating a Safe Space in the Video (“Safe Space” Students Silence Asian Woman for Saying “Black People Can Be Racist”)

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nTable of Contents

n1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………3

n1.1 Background ………………………………………………………………………….3

n1.2 Scope ………………………………………………………………………………….3 1.3 Aim ……………………………………………………………………………………3

n2. Summary of video clip …………………………………………………………………………….3

n3. Summary of literature ………………………………………………………………………..4

n4. Observations of video …………………………….……………………………………………5

n5. Discussion ………………………………………………………………………………………….6

n6. Recommendations …………………………………………………………………………….7

n7. Conclusion …………………….………………………………………………………………8

nReferences …………………………..……………………………………………………………91. IntroductionBackground

nA safe space is characterized by the freedom of expression of all the people in the area without being discriminated based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, cultural background or age (Holley, & Steiner, 2005). Cultural safety, on the other hand, refers to a safe environment where people have no fear of being subjected to any form of assault or attempts to make them deny their identities (gov.au, 2016).

nScope

nThis report will focus on analyzing the video (“Safe Space” Students Silence Asian Woman for Saying “Black People Can Be Racist”) to shed light on the issue of safe space. The report will analyze this video to show how a conflict of opinions can change a safe space into an unsafe space. This will specifically be through the analysis of the incident in the video where the Asian girl is silenced when she states that blacks can be racists.

nAim

nThe purpose of this report is to provide a description of how conflicting ideas can lead to a creation of an unsafe space as illustrated in the video, and make recommendations for improving the safety of space.

nSummary of Video Clip

n”Safe Space” Students Silence Asian Woman for Saying “Black People Can Be Racist” video is an illustration of the occurrences in a safe space during a protest among students at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California (Trent, 2016). The Asian girl explains how she was discriminated at school due to her poor English. The girl points out how she had been racially discriminated by an African American when she was walking in the streets with a couple of Asian friends and expresses the hospitality of a white woman who tried to help them (Trent, 2016). The girl makes the safe space unsafe when she points out that blacks can be racists. She is booed but she goes ahead to explain that people should not judge people by color or race, but they should only judge people individually based on character.

nSummary of Literature

nA safe space refers to an environment where individuals are able to express themselves freely despite the differences in beliefs. A safe space is characterized with both drawbacks and benefits of freedom of expression (Holley, & Steiner, 2005). The advantages outweigh the disadvantages in a safe space. A safe space protects people psychologically and emotionally. Self-disclosure is associated with the risks of ridicule, embarrassment and harsh treatment from the people affected by the issue (Holley, & Steiner, 2005). A safe space protects individuals willing to express themselves from all these risks by creating an environment where people appreciate and respect diversity.

nCultural intelligence refers to the ability of individuals to adjust to a culture different from their own (Brislin, 2006). This is achieved through the adoption of the expected behaviors of the members of a particular culture. These practices vary with different cultures. Individuals interacting with members of a different culture should first learn the norms of the people of that given culture and try to integrate them with their own cultural behaviors (Brislin, 2006). Cultural intelligence contributes highly to the creation of a safe space. This is because it helps individuals understand the existing cultural differences and also to appreciate diversity.

nThe Cultural capability is grounded on the ability of a person to embrace his/her culture while still understanding other peoples cultures. Individuals with cultural capability are in a position to communicate effectively with people of diverse cultures (Trahar, 2011). This effective communication is enabled by the development of various values, skills, and attitude. They appreciate the benefits of cooperation of people belonging to different cultures. Cultural capability promotes the creation of a safe space as it enables individuals to appreciate diversity.

nCultural self-awareness enables individuals to identify their cultural identities, biases related to their cultural identities and also their cultural norms (Purdue University, 2016). Cultural self-awareness enables individuals to appreciate diversity and also to seek complex ways of solving different issues related to their culture by analyzing cultural differences. Cultural self-awareness enables individuals to move from self-righteousness where they only prefer their own cultures ideas to appreciating different views of other cultures (Purdue University, 2016). Cultural self-awareness is, therefore, a preliminary and core part in the creation of a safe space as it promotes appreciation of cultural diversity.

nDescription of Video

nThis video clip is an illustration of an environment that starts off as a safe space but later turns into an unsafe space. The students are gathered to discuss protest for the creation of a safe space in the institution. The arrangement of the students during this protest provides a platform for individuals to express themselves freely. The students are expressing themselves through word of mouth and by use of posters (Trent, 2016). However, this environment turns into an unsafe space when an Asian girl raises her views that blacks can also be racists. She is booed by other agitated students, which undermines her freedom of expression and also make her lose confidence where she states that maybe she is not articulating herself well enough.

nThe body language, voice, and words used by other students when the Asian girl talks about racism by blacks illustrates that this is an unsafe space. The girl who is holding the poster that says “It is too late to say sorry” looks agitated by the words of the Asian girl (Trent, 2016). There is a sign of exclusion in this video as the Asian girl, who belongs to a marginalized group, is denied the right to express herself fully which undermines her cultural identity (Saha, 2011). The video displays lack of cultural intelligence as illustrated by the African American, who told the Asian girl and her friends that they should go back to where they came from.

nDiscussion

nIn the early part of the video clip, there is evidence of the existence of a safe space. The students from different cultures are gathered together giving each person the freedom to express himself/herself regardless of their racial or cultural background. However, this safe space turns into an unsafe space when the students deny the Asian girl the right to express herself after she boldly states that blacks can be racists (Trent, 2016). The girl is silenced and physical attempts to make her stop talking are made.

nThe students at Claremont McKenna College in California lack cultural intelligence. The Asian girl states in the early parts of the video how she was discriminated after joining the school due to her poor English (Trent, 2016). The African American, who told the Asian girl and her friends that they should go back to where they came from, also lacks cultural intelligence as he fails to appreciate diversity. The students in the gathering also lacked cultural intelligence as they were not welcoming differing views which is an illustration of their poor adaptability to different cultures.

nThe Asian girl possesses cultural capability. She takes the risk of expressing her conflicting views to show the problems faced by members of the marginalized cultures in the country (Trahar, 2011). Her speech is an illustration of cultural capability when she urges people to move from viewing people as belonging to a certain culture and start treating them as individuals based on their character. The students in the gathering lack cultural self-awareness. They are not willing to honestly accept the shortcomings related to their cultures such as cultural biases. This is evident from the way the blacks are agitated when the Asian girl when she states that they can be racist (Trent, 2016). They emphasize on self-righteousness and are not willing to accept their faults.

nRecommendations

nIn order to create a safer space at Claremont McKenna College in California, several factors ought to change. To begin with, the students should be sensitized on ways of developing social intelligence. Development of social intelligence can aid in shaping the behaviors of the students in such a way that they can be in a position to accommodate people from different cultural backgrounds (Bruhn, 2005). This can be done through the creation of lessons where students learn about their own culture and the culture of others so that they can appreciate diversity.

nThe communication techniques used by the students should also be enhanced. This is because interactions between members of different cultures can only be improved when there is effective communication. Effective communication skills can instill cultural capabilities in students which can aid in developing an appreciation of diversity among students (Flanja, 2009). Cultural self-awareness should also be promoted among students so that they can do away with some of their cultural biases which can aid in appreciating other cultures and therefore creating a safe space.

nConclusion

nThis paper has provided a critical analysis of the video (“Safe Space” Students Silence Asian Woman for Saying “Black People Can Be Racist”) to illustrate the issue of creation of a safe space. The video analyzed in this paper is an illustration of how a safe space can become unsafe. The paper has evaluated various aspects that can contribute to the creation of a safe space which includes cultural intelligence, cultural capability, and cultural self-awareness. These elements if applied in the school scenario highlighted in the video clip can aid in the creation of safe space.

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nReferences

nBrislin, R. (2006). Cultural Intelligence: Understanding Behaviors that Serve People’s Goals. Group & Organization Management, vol. (31), no. (1), pp. (40-55). http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1059601105275262

nBruhn, J. G. (2005). Culture-brain interactions. Integrative Physiological & Behavioral Science, vol. (40), no. (4), pp. (243-254).

nFlanja, D. (2009). Culture shock in intercultural communication. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai. Studia Europaea, vol. (54), no. (4), pp. (107).

ngov.au. (2016). Chapter 4: Cultural safety and security: Tools to address lateral violence – Social Justice Report 2011 | Australian Human Rights Commission. Humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 25 May 2016, from http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/chapter-4-cultural-safety-and-security-tools-address-lateral-violence-social-justice

nHolley, L. C., & Steiner, S. (2005). Safe space: Student perspectives on classroom environment. Journal of Social Work Education, vol. (41), no. (1), pp. (49-64).

nPurdue University, (2016). Knowledge of Cultural Self-Awareness. Purdue.edu. Retrieved 25 May 2016, from http://www.purdue.edu/cie/learning/global/toolkit/module8.html

nSaha, R. (2011). A Few Thoughts on Safe Spaces. Blogs.oberlin.edu. Retrieved 25 May 2016, from http://blogs.oberlin.edu/community/life_culture/a_few_thoughts.shtml

nTrahar, S. (2011). Developing cultural capability in international higher education. London: Routledge.

nTrent, R. (2016). “Safe Space” Students Silence Asian Woman for Saying “Black People Can Be Racist.” YouTube. Retrieved 25 May 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8UTj8lQJhY&list=PLJqJTP_-xumVwQitYuANygHnxW51yRj7X