Debunking the Safe Space Myth: Cultivating Brave Spaces to Challenge Injustices in Education

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Building Brave Spaces for Truth and Equity: Activation of Critical Discourse in Theory and Praxis (Table 14)

Abstract

This paper is written by two racialized professors of Jamaican-Canadian and Iranian-Canadian backgrounds. We share our identities and experiences via duoethnography and from a Critical Race Theory paradigm. We argue that there is no such thing as a safe space and instead theorize brave spaces a counter-narrative to facilitate unlearning, promote risk taking to challenge systemic oppression, and cultivate more inclusive classroom spaces. As a case study, we share examples of what we do from preparation to implementation within our courses and leadership roles in higher education to build relationships with students, cultivate brave spaces, and mobilize them to take personal and collective action in the face of injustices.

Authors

• Ardavan Eizadirad, Wilfrid Laurier University

• Andrew B. Campbell, University of Toronto