Graduate student Neslihan Sriram-Uzundal organized the series of roundtable discussions, which took place at the CSLP
The roundtable series Theorised Identities: Race, Class, and Gender in the Field of Education, hosted by the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance at Concordia University, has now wrapped up. The round table discussions delved into how race, class, and gender intersect with the lived experiences of those researching and working within the field of education. The main goal of the series was to blur the often artificial boundaries between researcher and research subject, as well as between subjective and objective, theory and practice, among other dichotomies.
The discussants in these events not only shared their personal definitions of race, class, and gender, shaped by their lived experiences, but also reflected on how these categories influenced their roles within education. They explored how their identities have shaped their interactions with students, parents, colleagues, and others in the educational sphere.
The first roundtable, focused on Race in the Field of Education, was emotionally charged. Discussants addressed complex concepts such as race, racism, and anti-racism. They worked to critically examine and dismantle oppressive, discriminatory, and racist structures in education. This session featured Ian Klaus-Springer (Concordia University), Samira Karim (Concordia University), and Keenan Daniel Manning (UBC).
The second roundtable, centered on Class in the Field of Education, brought forward diverse perspectives on class. Discussants Farideh Shahriari (McGill University), Ian Klaus-Springer (Concordia University), and Keenan Daniel Manning (UBC) presented personal interpretations of class, emphasizing that some marginalized communities are even deprived of the concept of class itself due to their positions on society’s periphery.
The third roundtable, exploring Gender in the Field of Education, was deeply engaged with gender and feminist theory in educational settings. Each discussant shared their understanding of gender, rooted in the theories, philosophies, and ideas that shape their views. The discussion touched on the significance of feminism, the need for decolonizing feminist thought, and how gender-related issues could be integrated into curricula. The discussants included Lucia Lucena (McGill University), Komal Waqar Ali (McGill University), Ian Klaus-Springer (Concordia University), and Keenan Daniel Manning (UBC).
These graduate students sought to bring their voices into the discourse, reflecting on their personal experiences. They emphasized the systemic injustices they encounter within the context of their education, highlighting the barriers they face when trying to establish theories that genuinely represent their lived realities.