ANTI-RACISM AND TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING IN THE UNIVERSITY SETTING: APPLYING MEZIROW TO CHESLER AND CHARBENEAU’S INTERVIEWS WITH WHITE PROFESSORS
CALLIE DAVIDSON
Philosophy and Political Science Major, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
MANPREET DHILLON
Doctoral Program in Education, University of California, Los Angeles, California USA.
SASKIA MALTZ
Sociology Major, University of California, Los Angeles, California USA.
JEROME RABOW *
Sociology Department, Honors College, University of California, Los Angeles, California, California State University, Northridge, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In this paper we use Mezirow’s theoretical scheme to analyze interviews conducted by Charbeneau and Chesler with white university professors in order to assess professor’s pedagogical approaches to racial dynamics in the classroom. In applying his ten-stage scheme to the pedagogical practices of white professors, we encountered a number of difficulties. We make suggestions for modifications of his scheme that are consistent with the traditions of transformative pedagogy in order to further research.
Keywords: Transformative pedagogy, transformative learning, Anti-racism, University Racism, Pedagogical practices