Search Results (166)

This article explores strategies for integrating anti-racist approaches into university-level study of religion teaching on multiple levels, including curriculum design, selection of teaching materials, self-reflection practices, responses to concrete classroom situations and fostering environments that protect students of colour while encouraging “white” students to critically examine their own privileges. To contextualize this endeavour, the article first outlines the current situation and describes some challenges related to racism and anti-racism efforts within a Swiss university context, drawing on recent empirical studies. This is followed by an examination of the historical development of racial thought, culminating in contemporary discussions of neo-racism and its connection with the classification category religion. A working definition of racism suitable for academic teaching is then proposed. The article further investigates the relationship between racism and the study of religion, arguing that the discipline has a crucial role to play in addressing and combating racist ideologies. This argument is supported by some empirical data from the author’s doctoral research, as well as examples drawn from the author’s teaching experience at the University of Zurich. By combining historical analysis with practical teaching strategies, thearticle aims to provide a coherent framework for embedding anti-racist principles in higher education. Full article

The literature details the healthcare needs of migrant people living with chronic illnesses and the consequent economic, social, and healthcare needs of their caregivers. Similarly, some studies have underscored the social and healthcare needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals, including diverse sexual and gender identities under the “+” symbol) adults living with chronic illnesses and their caregivers. This narrative review presents the context of migrant 2SLGBTQIA+ unpaid caregivers and how their intersecting identities influence their caregiving roles for family members with chronic illnesses. In this article, caregivers are defined as family members or chosen families who provide unpaid support that may last for three months or longer for people living with chronic illnesses. Most studies and policies overlook 2SLGBTQIA+ migrants who are also unpaid caregivers of individuals living with chronic illnesses, leaving them unsupported through discrimination at the intersection of racism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, and ableism, forcing them to remain vulnerable to increased emotional and physical strain. There is a presence of pervasive systemic barriers, including a lack of training and education among social and healthcare providers, about the needs of migrant 2SLGBTQIA+ unpaid caregivers. Additional challenges stem from inadequate policies and insufficient targeted resources, particularly for caregivers from marginalized racial and ethnic backgrounds. The findings of this study highlight the necessity for a call to action to address these gaps and improve support systems for these highly marginalized communities. Full article

Background: Ongoing access and equity concerns for culturally diverse populations in mental health warrant a shift from cultural competence to cultural humility training. This review aimed to systematically assess the breadth of conceptual and training literature in peer-reviewed publications drawn from PsycINFO, CINAHL plus, Google Scholar and Scopus, from 2007–2018, utilizing cultural humility as the key search term and its relevance to service provision. Methods: This method utilized a five-stage scoping review framework. Results: Results were that a total of 246 publications were extracted. Following employing an abstract review method and removing duplicates, this resulted in a full-text review of 56 publications. The emerging themes included the following: culturally informed conceptual frameworks; culturally diverse training approaches; racial inequalities in mental health services; culturally informed national and international perspectives; race and international transcultural mental health. Conclusions: Conclusions were that including cultural humility principles in service provision and training enables greater self-awareness towards racial bias and negative cultural stereotypes at both practice and organizational levels, ultimately aimed at enhancing mental health service provision by mitigating the structural barriers encountered by service users. Full article

Background/Objectives: The persistent health disparities affecting Black men in the US healthcare system reflect systemic inequities that impact their health outcomes. This qualitative study employs thematic analysis to examine how Black men’s interactions with medical providers shape their healthcare experiences and to identify key factors influencing their quality of care. Methods: Through in-depth interviews with 25 Black men throughout the United States, our thematic analysis identified patterns in their reported healthcare experiences. Results: Our analysis revealed four main themes: (1) inadequate clinician communication and information, (2) clinician dismissiveness and failure to listen, (3) experiences of interpersonal racial bias in healthcare interactions, and (4) facilitators of positive, patient-centered healthcare encounters. Black men’s narratives illuminate how communication barriers, dismissive treatment, and racial bias manifest in healthcare settings, while also highlighting elements that facilitate successful patient–clinician relationships. Conclusions: The findings suggest specific approaches for improving these interactions, including clinician active listening and bias training, anti-racism medical education, accountability policies, increased clinician diversity, and patient self-advocacy strategies to address systemic factors affecting Black men’s healthcare experiences and outcomes. Full article

Health disparities among populations across geographic regions, demographic and socio-economic groups are well documented; however, ecological studies which visually demonstrate health disparities associated with structural racism among racialized populations are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine low birthweight (LBW) as a measurable indicator of disproportionate health impacts across three race/ethnicity groups—non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic and non-Hispanic White–in the United States (US) for visualizing ecological manifestation of this disparity attributed to structural racism. We begin by providing the contextual background of structural racism through a literature review, and then more specifically, we examine LBW as a selected health indicator characterized with a socio-biological pathway of structural racism via socio-economic and politico–legal determinants and associated mediating factors to health disparities, from which we synthesized a visualization model with the indicators of structural racism reported in the literature reviewed. To further visualize these impacts, publicly available US County Health Ranking data for LBW, at the county level in two US states, Tennessee and Ohio, were analyzed to uncover area-based ecological health outcome—LBW. Significant correlation and scatter plots provided evidence of LBW as a racially sensitive health indicator associated with impacts of structural racism. These findings were further notable through examination of socio-economic determinants (e.g., race/ethnicity, income, education, and employment) and environmental factors such as housing issues as well as other underlying health conditions. Our case study has opened a window for visualizing disparity across non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, non-Hispanic White populations as demonstrated by the prevalence of LBW disparity through its determinants and mediating factors at the county level. Potentially important policy implications for reparative change are drawn through our study findings that are salutary and/or reductive for addressing impacts of structural racism. Further studies are needed to fully understand the comprehensive web of area-based ecological factors impacting various health outcomes through the impacts of structural racism. Full article

Purpose: Because of shared mechanisms such as decreased access to health care, rurality and poverty may act synergistically to decrease colorectal cancer (CRC) survival. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of SEER data (22 registries) with census tract-level measures of poverty/rurality for the period 2006–2015. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regressions were applied to examine the independent and intersectional associations of persistent poverty and rurality on 5-year cause-specific CRC survival across five racial/ethnic groups. Results: Among 532,868 CRC patients, non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) demonstrated lower 5-year survival probability (64.2% vs. 68.3% in non-Hispanic Whites [NHW], 66.5% in American Indian/Alaska Natives [AI/AN], 72.1% in Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 68.7% in Hispanic groups) (p-value < 0.001). In adjusted analysis, CRC patients living in rural areas with poverty were at a 1.2–1.6-fold increased risk of CRC death than those who did not live in these areas in five racial/ethnic groups. In particular, AI/AN patients living in rural areas with poverty were 66% more likely to die from CRC (95% CI, 1.32, 2.08). Conclusions: CRC patients who live in rural or poverty areas in SEER areas in the U.S. have a poorer survival compared with those who do not live in such areas regardless of race/ethnicity. Significantly greater risk of CRC death was observed in AI/ANs. Impact: Patient navigators, community education or screening, and other health care system interventions may be helpful to address these disparities by socioeconomic status, race, and geographic residence. Multi-level interventions aimed at institutional racism and medical mistrust may also be helpful. Full article

Teacher education is paramount for nurturing democratic, critical, and participative citizenship. Educators should approach identity formation from an intersectional perspective, encompassing sex–gender, racial, and cultural diversities. This perspective highlights social inequalities and challenges the power structures that sustain them. Teachers play a crucial role in shaping and reflecting on these identities since their responsibilities extend beyond knowledge transmission. Their ability to incorporate intersectional perspectives into teaching influences students’ understanding of intersectionality, thereby supporting the development of inclusive identities and promoting democratic citizenship. This article opens with the results of research on how trainee teachers acquire competencies in feminist critical visual literacy. Following this review, we analyzed educational materials to examine stereotypes, racism, and the invisibility of racialized and cultural minority communities. We also addressed the identification and counteraction of hate speech targeting the LGTBIQ+ community as well as different gender-based violence. Comparative data from participating universities provide insights into the critical skills of pre-service teachers across international contexts. This study highlights an urgent need for further research into integrating intersectionality in teacher training, supported by educational policies that strengthen critical competencies through a holistic, gender- and race-sensitive approach aimed at social justice. These initiatives would promote an education system responsive to multifaceted diversities. Full article

Aboriginal parents experience neonatal intensive care settings at a higher rate than non-Indigenous parents. We sought to explore Aboriginal parents’ experiences of having a gaaynggal (baby) admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in order to improve culturally safe neonatal care environments. The yarning method was used to collect the qualitative data of 15 Aboriginal parents’ stories. Thematic analysis and collaborative yarning were used to determine themes. The themes emerging from the stories included Trauma and its triggers in the NICU; Aboriginal cultural caring practices are not upheld in the NICU; Covert racism and biases impact culturally safe experiences; Health provider communication can obstruct parents’ experience of cultural safety; and Recommendations to uphold culturally safe care in NICU. Culturally safe care practices have been identified as needed, to improve cultural safety in neonatal settings. Through further education and training, the facilitation of Aboriginal family connections and support groups, culturally inclusive spaces for parents and their kinship systems, and increasing Aboriginal staff representations across all levels of health professional experience, cultural safety for Aboriginal parents and gaaynggal can be increased. Full article

Kara Walker’s art, known for its stark depictions of race, history, and power dynamics, offers an invaluable entry point for discussing race in higher education. Integrating Walker’s work into the humanities classroom allows for critical engagement with historical and contemporary issues of race, ethnicity, and systemic oppression. Through her use of silhouettes and narratives that expose the brutal legacies of slavery, racism, and colonialism, Walker’s art challenges students to confront uncomfortable truths and foster deeper conversations about intersectionality. Discussing Walker’s art can lead to explorations of how race intersects with class, gender, sexuality, and disability, revealing the layered and compounded experiences of marginalized groups. Through the flipped classroom approach, students were introduced to Kara Walker’s work outside of class through assigned readings and materials. During class time, discussions were facilitated by students themselves, enhancing peer-to-peer learning. The session was led by a pupil responsible for elaborating on Walker’s work and guiding the discussion. In-class time was dedicated to small-group discussions where students critically engaged with the themes in Walker’s art. These groups provided space for more intimate, reflective conversations. After small-group discussions, insights were shared in a larger panel discussion format. This allowed students to synthesize ideas, compare perspectives, and engage with a wider range of interpretations of Walker’s art. By engaging with Walker’s work, students develop a more nuanced understanding of oppression and social justice, making her art a powerful tool for transformative education. Full article

Many Black, Asian, and ethnic minoritised students on university courses leading to professional qualifications face racism on placement. Our own institutional review at one UK university highlighted differential placement outcomes for students in the Schools of Social Work, Education, and Health Sciences. To investigate, a qualitative study was conducted between April to October 2024, using focus groups and interviews with 20 students and 19 staff (lecturers and placement supervisors from the NHS, County Council, and schools). Researchers used NVivo to support the thematic analysis of the qualitative data. Key findings identified various enabling factors, including the significance of supervisory placement support and the quality of placement environment. However, our data further confirmed several inhibiting factors, including power dynamics, systemic failures, and broken trust, contributing to racialised and oppressive placement conditions. We recommend that the university and placement providers have a dedicated system for reporting race-specific incidents to a dedicated person/team who are trained and accountable for tackling and preventing racists incidents on placements. Full article

Racial justice rhetoric is approached via collaborative auto-ethnography and oral interpretation, demonstrating how race, place, and faith intersect in a community devoted to religion and education. Community narratives wield immense power, but they are never complete. Stories and the cultures that retell them are alive and growing, so finding a voice can influence change. When racial justice voices are gradually over-written and forgotten, archival research and a commitment to engaged scholarship can identify and hold up historical leaders as role models. This article reintroduces a largely forgotten Catholic leader, Monsignor Thomas G. Fahy, into higher education’s narrative on race. Freie’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed provides a theoretical frame for an auto-ethnography relating pentimento “un/re/discovery” of Fahy leading to a digital oral/aural performance of some of his most enlightened speeches. Northern New Jersey saw widespread civil unrest and violence in the 1960s, and rather than turn away, Fahy turned “right out the gate” to listen and collaborate with Newark’s racial justice activists. Conclusions include a need for sustained attention to historical justice leaders in nurturing positive futures and the socio-political power of storytelling as a digital/oral rhetorical form. Full article

Degree awarding gaps highlight the inequitable outcomes of higher education (HE) for racially minoritized students in the UK. This ongoing issue has been described as a “wicked problem”, directly related to structural racism, or policies and practices that continually disadvantage racialized students. Movements to decolonize the curriculum bring hope and the tools to rebuild more socially-just institutions and societies. However, it is sometimes questioned whether the field of science, with its guise of objectivity, needs decolonizing, or what that process involves. We argue that student partnerships are central to building decolonized science curricula that are critical, anti-racist and will evoke social change. In this study, conducted with life sciences students in a UK HE institution, we share critical reflections captured through a mixed methods approach to address how we create an education that is through and for social justice. Education through social justice aims to create equitable learning environments by addressing how structures and curricula invite, engage and support racially minoritized students to be partners in the learning journey. Whereas education for social justice is about co-creating curricula, teaching practices and principles that lead to change makers and fostering more socially-just societies. Our research indicates that an education that is both through and for social justice requires co-creation where traditional power hierarchies are dismantled, and mattering is emphasized. Partnerships and curricula must be centered in anti-racist practices, with a structured and intentional approach to developing critical thinking skills for continual reflection, self-development and actions to promote inclusion and equity in life sciences and society. Full article

Building on previous studies of racial inequality in higher education, this paper reports the findings of an online survey (N = 407) exploring the extent to which UK university students recognised the existence of racism in wider society and perceived the need for greater racial diversity and inclusion on campus. Utilising the CoBRAS scale developed by Neville and colleagues together with a new Racially Inclusive Attitudes Scale (RIAS) designed by the lead author of this paper, we find that most students reject the notion that we live in a colour-blind society and feel that their university needs to do more to foster racial diversity and inclusion on campus. However, while the rejection of colour-blind narratives was equally strong across students from all ethnic groups, Black students were significantly more likely than students from other ethnic groups to perceive the need for their university to become more racially diverse and inclusive. Full article

Black mothers with preterm infants face unique challenges during their stay in the NICU and after discharge. Racism-related barriers impact access to care for Black preterm infants. Understanding their experiences in caring for preterm infants is crucial to developing equity-focused interventions to address racism in the NICU and promote Black preterm infant health outcomes. The purpose of this scoping review is to shed light on Black mothers’ experiences of having a preterm infant. A search was conducted in CINAHL, Medline, Maternity and Infant Care, and Google Scholar. A total of 287 articles were retrieved and screened. Twelve (12) articles included in the final review were from the United States. The findings highlight the need to address racism among healthcare providers in the NICU through training and education. Gaps in understanding the experiences of Black parents with preterm infants from other Western contexts remain and require further research. Full article

Poverty is an important social determinant of health disparities across the lifespan. Poverty also influences other life challenges such as pecuniary instability, food insecurity, housing instability, educational inequality, and limited career mobility. According to the World Bank, more than 700 million people worldwide live in global poverty, surviving on less than USD 2.15 a day. Poverty may also be viewed as a state of deprivation that limits access to resources that address basic needs (i.e., food, water, shelter, clothing, health), limiting an individual’s opportunity to participate optimally in society. A large body of research has identified a positive relationship between poverty and chronic health concerns such as heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney problems, liver problems, cancer, and hypertension. This entry examines health disparities associated with economic status, discrimination, racism, stress, age, race/ethnicity, gender, gender identity, and nationality from a social justice perspective. Full article