Category Archives: 1.1 Social Justice

Thoughts on Racism and Patriarchy

Even though we are all familiar with the existence of racism, especially in the past (still takes place to some extent today), it was an eye-opening lecture – hearing all the stories, what people with colour had to go through and how people with white skin treated them. Hearing about what was happening just because people had different skin colour .. horrific. And how some people were actually smiling on some photos .. there are just no words. But there have to be words so that we can take actions and stop this from happening. Fortunately, racism is not taking place to this extent nowadays but on some occasions we can spot the signs of racism – in conversations, discussions, articles .. We should all ask ourselves: is it justified to treat people differently just because they have a different skin colour? Would we want to be treated like that?

It is also very sad that in today´s society, where everybody points out there should be a greater focus on equality, we still distinguish between being a man and a woman, especially when it comes to professions and salaries. We can see that even children have these stereotypes. When they are supposed to paint a fire fighter figure or a surgeon, most of them will paint a male character – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Aweo-74kY

We all know that men and women cannot be the same when it comes to physical appearance and as such, it is justified that there are not as many women as men working for the police for instance. However, when it comes to intellectul thinking, it always depends on the people themselves – knowledge, experiences, skills and character. Gender does not define us.

Regardless the skin colour, gender, age, etc, we all have the right to live a beautiful life, we all should treat each other well and with respect. We should all behave in a way that we can look at ourselves in the mirror and do not regret anything we have done.

Reflection on Values Workhop 18.9. – Inequalities

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The structure of the whole workshop was really good. We were divided into 4 groups and given a pack with different resources. Our task was to plan and then create something for a new student, what they would appreciate and what would help them during the first week at the University of Dundee

We were really excited what we came up with and when we were presenting it, the teacher was not really interested, which was a bit disappointing. When we heard our score, which was 3/10, nobody knew what to think about it. We all were confused and a bit upset, I would say. The thing is that we did not even know the criteria for the task. One girl in our group, however, had the courage to ask the teacher about it, which I was really happy about.

After the task, we were told about the real meaning and purpose behind it. Two groups, including ours, were given fewer resources than the other two. The teacher was also supporting and encouraging the two groups with more resources without paying too much attention to the other groups. It was a very clever approach in a sense that it helped us realise what it was like to be a part of a minority group, not only in the classroom, but globally. When people are treated inequally, it might have serious negative impacts on their lives and their way of thinking. They might feel that they are not that important as others and that their voices cannot be heard. Thanks to these negative experiences such people have encoutered, they are more likely to lose enthusiasm and ambition to reach their goals and dreams because they were once “told“ they were not good enough. That is why it is very important, in any profession, not only in education, to treat people equally and provide them with same opportunities.

In the classrooms, teachers should also start building positive relationships with pupils in order to establish welcoming atmosphere where children do not have to be afraid of sharing their own ideas and opinions but are encouraged to do so. The feeling of being a part of something bigger, for example a community, plays such a great role as integrity is highly important, especially in today´s world when it is necessary for us to be working together and sharing experiences and knowledge in order for us to come up with new ideas and solutions.

While building positive relationships with each other, trust and being trustworthy is a great part of it and is built naturally based on our experiences with a particular person. It comes from the within that we need to share our feelings of happiness and sadness with somebody who we can trust.

Another very important aspect not only in the school setting is respect for other people, their lives and opinions. We all should be open-minded and respectful to each other and do not treat people with different religion, race, or with different background in another way.

Throughout our whole life, we should place great importance on lifelong learning and broadening our perspectives and knowledge in all areas. We need to be open, treat people with respect and establish welcoming environment for people around us.