Should ethnicitymatterwhen teaching about ‘race’ and racism in the classroom?

Teaching about ‘race’ and racism to a diverse student group can lead to some very interesting exchanges. Some of these moments are much to do with the subject content. Learning about racism often pulls on our emotional strings: black students sometimes express their hurt and anger, while white students sometimes remain silent or express their hurt, shame and discomfort. The lecturer’s racialised identity is an important factor in these emotional exchanges. Black lecturers are sometimes judged for their ‘loyalties and sensibilities’ with the black community, while white lecturers are questioned for their understanding and sympathies with ‘race’/racism issues. This paper considers how social identities and physical appearances impact on the teaching and learning process and issues of student and lecturer positionalities and identities in the Higher Education context. In particular, it examines how much being white or black can matter in teaching and learning about race and racism, and the importance of critical pedagogy. Theoretical reflections on identity construction and management are themed through these discussions. The conclusion argues that the teaching of ‘race’ and racism is not only about identity or ethnicity, but the development of teaching strategies that are inclusive of black experiences; and questions power structures and relations found in whitearchy and patriarchy.