Integrating Intergroup Dialogue Principles & Skills into Academic Libraries

1. Integrating Intergroup Dialogue Principles & Skills into Academic Libraries Mérida E. Allen (she/her/hers) mallen2@udayton.edu Ione T. Damasco (she/her/hers), University of Dayton, idamasco1@udayton.edu Chanel P. Wright (she/her/hers) wrightcp44@gmail.com October 17, 2019 ALAO 2019 Preconference Workshop

2. We are presenting on the traditional homelands of the Chippewa, Delaware, Miami, Potawatomi, Shawnee, and Wyandot Nations. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory. We honor and respect the Indigenous Nations that continue to connect with this land today. As we come together today to develop the skills needed to create more inclusive libraries, let us pledge to recenter those who continue to be marginalized as a legacy of colonialism and educate ourselves on the issues they continue to face.

3. Community Guidelines • Confidentiality • Our primary commitment is to learn from each other • We will not demean, devalue, or “put down” people for their experiences, lack of experiences, or different interpretations of those experiences • We will trust that people are always doing the best they can • Speak your discomfort • Expect and accept a lack of closure • Monitor your airtime

4. Agenda • Defining dialogue and intergroup dialogue (IGD) • Exploring power, privilege, and oppression • Incorporating principles of IGD into tough conversations Overview

5. Agenda • Identify similarities and differences within and across social identity groups • Examine how personal/group socialization influences our perspectives, feelings, and behavior regarding real life issues connected to racial and other inequalities • Develop dialogue-based skills, including active listening and perspective-taking Learning Outcomes

6. Context • Social media • Cancel culture • ALA Midwinter/Professional associations Why did you sign up for this workshop? What do you hope to learn from this experience?

7. Icebreaker

8. Community Guidelines • Confidentiality • Our primary commitment is to learn from each other • We will not demean, devalue, or “put down” people for their experiences, lack of experiences, or different interpretations of those experiences • We will trust that people are always doing the best they can • Speak your discomfort • Expect and accept a lack of closure • Monitor your airtime

9. Principles of Dialogue

10. What is dialogue? A communicative event in which people with different perspectives seek to understand each other’s views. • A process of collaborative understanding • Does not demand nor expect agreement • Listening deeply enough to be changed

11. LARA: Affirmative Listening • Listen -- Listen with an intent to understand. Listen for underlying principles, cultural values, emotions, and issues behind what is being said. Listen for commonalities. • Affirm -- Affirm the principles or issues in what was said, or simply the feelings or emotions that were expressed. Affirming is not agreeing, it’s acknowledging or recognizing what is shared. • Respond -- Respond to the issues that were raised and the underlying needs behind them. Ask questions about what was said. • Add -- Add information to the conversation. After seeking to understand, seek to be understood. https://oscr.umich.edu/article/tips-and-tools-constructive-conflict-resolution

12. Monologue Discussion Debate Dialogue • One voice, multiple participants • One voice maintains the silence of others • Win-lose orientation • Disregard relationships • Multiple voices, multiple participants • Each voice tries to persuade others • Win-lose orientation • Retain relationships • Multiple voices, multiple participants • Each voice tries to overcome the others • Win-lose orientation • Disregard relationships • Multiple voices, multiple participants • Each voice tries to create mutual understanding • Not about winning or losing • Build relationships

13. What is Intergroup Dialogue? Intergroup dialogue is a face-to-face facilitated conversation between members of two or more social identity groups that strives to create new levels of understanding, relating, and action . . . Intergroup dialogues encourage direct encounter and exchange about contentious issues, especially those associated with issues of social identity and social stratification. They invite students to actively explore the meanings of singular (as men or as women) or intersecting (as men of color or as white women) social identities and to examine the dynamics of privilege and oppression that shape relationships between social groups in our society. In addition, the dialogues build dispositions and skills for developing and maintaining relationships across differences and for taking action for equity and social justice. Zuniga, X. (2003). “Bridging Differences through Dialogue.” About Campus: Enriching the Student Learning Experience, 7(6), 8-16.

14. Stage 1 Group Beginnings: Creating a Shared Meaning of Dialogue Stage 2 Identity, Social Relations, and Conflict Stage 3 Practicing Dialogue: Getting to the Root of Intergroup Inequality Stage 4 Alliances and Other Next Steps IGD is a 4-stage model Adapted from Petryk, T. and Fisher, R. (2016, June). Intro to 4 Stages of IGD. Presented at the National Intergroup Dialogue Institute at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

15. Stages of Intergroup Dialogue Stage 1 • Identifying the differences between discussion, debate, dialogue • Developing group norms developed • Examples of activities • Icebreakers & team builders • Facilitators share personal stories • Social identity profile Stage 2 • Exploring social group identity • Exploring differences in power and privilege • Understanding the process of socialization • Examining structural oppression & privilege • Examples of activities • Cycle of socialization & identity timelines • Fishbowl Adapted from Petryk, T. and Fisher, R. (2016, June). Intro to 4 Stages of IGD. Presented at the National Intergroup Dialogue Institute at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

16. Stages of Intergroup Dialogue Stage 3 • Examining the impact of social structures and institutions on individuals via pertinent social issues • Practicing dialogue • Learning to embrace conflict while staying in dialogue • “Dialogue about the dialogue” • Examples of activities • Take A Stand • Crossing the Line • Four Corners Stage 4 • Exploring empowerment, allyhood, and action planning • Determining next steps • Building capacity & identifying alliances • Examples of activities • Spheres of influence • Cycle of Liberation Adapted from Petryk, T. and Fisher, R. (2016, June). Intro to 4 Stages of IGD. Presented at the National Intergroup Dialogue Institute at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

17. Social Identities Examples of social identities • Race • Gender identity • Sexual orientation/sexual identity • Ethnicity • Socioeconomic status • Religion • Ability Adapted from the University of Michigan, The Program on Intergroup Relations, 2016.

18. Take 5 minutes to complete your profile Social identity snapshot

19. Listening exercise

20. Break

21. Some additional definitions privilege - A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group white fragility - the inability of white people to tolerate racial stress which results in disbelieving defensiveness when their ideas about race and racism are challenged particularly when they feel implicated in white supremacy microaggression - everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership

22. Social identities & Power

23. Social Identity & Social Power Oppression: A system that perpetuates an imbalance of advantages and resources based on perceived social group memberships. Oppression can happen on multiple levels. Individual: One person’s actions that reflect prejudice against a target social group. Institutional: Policies, laws, or rules enacted by organizations or institutions that disadvantage specific groups and while providing advantages to others. Examples of institutions: religious, governmental, educational, legal, and health care. Societal/Cultural: Social norms and customs that have a differential and/or harmful impact on marginalized groups. These norms almost always have a historical significance, and the impacts are not always intentional. Adapted from the University of Michigan, The Program on Intergroup Relations, 2016.

24. Social Identity & Social Power • Oppressed/Marginalized/Target Group - Group that faces oppression and has less social power; social identity groups that are disenfranchised and exploited. • Privileged/Dominant/Advantaged/Agent Group - Group that has privilege and more social power; social identity groups that hold unearned benefits or advantages in society • Intersectionality - The ways in which each person’s social identities interconnect and contribute to unique, multiplicative, and layered experiences of oppression and privilege. Everyone holds multiple social identities (i.e., gay man; White woman; upper-class Person of Color). Social identity power is also contextual, which means it can vary depending on the environment in which one is located at any given moment. Adapted from the University of Michigan, The Program on Intergroup Relations, 2016.

25. INTERSECTIONALITY SEXUALITY ETHNICITY RACE EDUCATION GENDER CLASS ABILITY AGE RELIGION LANGUAGE HERITAGE Overlapping or intersecting social identities, and related systems of oppression, domination, or discrimination

26. Bias Explicit • Deliberate • Conscious • Social and Personal values • Systemic prejudice and/or discrimination Implicit • Typically unconscious • Involuntarily formed • Habit • Cryptic response • “Microaggressions” Source: https://www.slideshare.net/ccgmag/unconscious-bias-do-race-and-gender-really-matter-54215663

27. Implicit Bias, Peanut Butter and Jelly Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JVN2qWSJF4

28. In what ways have you: • Witnessed? • Interrupted? • Experienced? • Contributed? Four corners activity

29. Break

30. Communication strategies

31. Calling In vs. Calling Out Source -- PROJECT ROCKIT. (2018 March 11). STANDING UP: What is calling in versus calling out?. [Video File]. Retrieved fromhttps://youtu.be/zYX2CHFT4EM?t=5

32. Some strategies for responding to microaggressions • Ask for clarification or more info: “Could you say more about what you mean by that?” • Separate intent from impact: “I know you didn’t realize this, but when you ____ (comment/behavior), it was hurtful/offensive because_____. Instead you could____ (different language or behavior.)” • Challenge the stereotype--give information, share your own experience and/or offer alternative perspectives. • “Actually, in my experience________________.” • “I think that’s a stereotype. I’ve learned that_________________.” • “Another way to look at it is _______________.” https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/resources_for_primary_care/cap_resources_for_medical_student_educators/responding-to-microaggressions-and-bias.pdf

33. Multipartiality: Balancing power DOMINANT/GRAND/MASTER/META-NARRATIVE AgentTarget Neutrality Advocacy Multipartiality Adapted from the University of Michigan, The Program on Intergroup Relations, 2016. See “Multipartiality” video: https://youtu.be/-MX3FfacNco

34. 1-minute writing reflection

35. Practice LARA • Impact of social identities • Remember the community guidelines Scenarios

36. Scenario #1: Can I see some ID? You are the director of a college library that is open until 2 a.m. but requires an ID to be admitted after 10 p.m. It is 10:30 p.m. and you have been called because one of the evening student workers, a white female, has called campus police. A Black male student has refused to show ID upon entering the library, stating “his white friends never have to show their ID to get in.” He is upset that she won’t let him in, and refuses to leave. You arrive and campus police are on site already, and he has shown his valid college ID to them. How do you respond to the student seeking entry into the library? How do you respond to the student worker?

37. Scenario #2: Meeting microaggression You are in a meeting with colleagues discussing a facilities issue that needs funding in order to address it. The person describing the issue uses the word “ghetto” as an adjective and makes eye contact with you, the only person of color in the room, as if to affirm her use of that term. Her nonverbal communication towards you makes you uncomfortable. How do you spotlight or address this presumably unconscious bias?

38. Debriefing

39. Take 5 minutes to write your own action plan What are you willing to commit to?

40. Power of Words

41. Questions? Thank you!

42. Definitions Bibliography • Privilege (n.d.) In Lexico online dictionary. Retrieved fromhttps://www.lexico.com/en/definition/privilege • Iqbal, N. (2019, February 16). Interview Academic Robin DiAngelo: ‘We have to stop thinking of racism as someone who says the N-word’. The Guardian.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/16/white-fragility-racism-interview-robin-diangelo • Waldman, K. (2018, July 23). A socialist examines the “white fragility” that prevents White Americans from confronting racism. The New Yorker. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-sociologist-examines-the-white-fragility-that-prevents-white-americans-from-confronting-racism • Sue, D.W. (2010, November 17). Microaggressions: more than just race. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/microaggressions-in-everyday-life/201011/microaggressions-more-just-race