Not looking someone in the eye is racist, Oxford University students told

[LastManstanding]

Oxford University students have been warned they may be being racist if they fail to look another student in the eye or talk to them directly.

Undergraduates were also told not to ask a black or ethnic minority student where they are from "originally", and that joking about someone’s accent may be racist.

The Oxford equality and diversity unit’s warnings come in a list of “micro-aggressions” sent out in its Trinity term newsletter.

But according to The Times, critics of the claims called the instructions authoritarian and patronising for attempting to tell students at the top university how to interact.

The newsletter reads: "Sometimes called 'micro-aggressions', subtle everyday racism can appear trivial.”

"But repeated micro-aggressions can be tiring and alienating (and can lead to mental ill health).

"Racial micro-aggressions might include not making eye contact or speaking directly to people; not believing someone is British ('Where are you from? No, I mean originally ...'); 'jokes' drawing attention to someone's difference, their accent or nationality."

The newsletter said that it was working to address the issue by raising awareness "of this type of subtle racism" in its training for people working within the university.

"Some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence," it reads.

But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong."

However, Tom Slater, co-ordinator of The Free Speech University Ranking project that highlights censorship on university campuses, called it ridiculous to suggest that not looking someone in the eye was a micro form of racism.

He told The Times: "This is all part of a chilling desire on the part of university authorities to police not just opinions, but everyday conversations between students.

“It's not only deeply authoritarian, it has a chilling effect on how students interact with one another.”


A spokeswoman for the university said: "The equality and diversity unit works with university bodies to ensure that the university's pursuit of excellence goes hand in hand with freedom from discrimination and equality of opportunity and the newsletter is one way of advising and supporting staff towards achieving these aims."

https://www.google.co.in/amp/www.st...rd-university-students-told-a3521776.html?amp

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I don't get the link with looking someone in the eye and racism. Maybe I missed something.

On the

'Where are you from? No, I mean originally ...'

that does get tiresome, but it's asked by other desis as much as anyone. I think these people are well meaning but they should find more important stuff to worry about. Maybe the media should as well, I don't really need to read about this stuff in the Times or Guardian.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Students who avoid making eye contact could be guilty of racism, Oxford University says.

Students who avoid making eye contact with their peers could be guilty of racism, according to Oxford University’s latest guidance.

The university’s Equality and Diversity Unit has advised students that “not speaking directly to people” could be deemed a “racial microaggression” which can lead to “mental ill-health”.

Other examples of “everyday racism” include asking someone where they are “originally” from, students were told.

Oxford University's Equality and Diversity Unit explains in its Trinity term newsletter that "some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning, and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence.

“But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong”.

Universities have been accused of pandering to the “snowflake generation” of students, who are seen as over-sensitive and quick to take offence.

Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education the University of Kent, said the guidance was “completely ridiculous” and will make students “hyper-sensitive” about how they interact with one another.

“Essentially people are being accused of a thought crime,” Dr Williams told The Telegraph. “They are being accused of thinking incorrect thoughts based on an assumption of where they may or may not be looking.”

Dr Williams, who is author of Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity, said that Oxford University’s guidance was “overstepping the mark” by telling students “how they should feel and think”.

She said: “Instead of people seeing each other as potential friends, equals, these re-racialise academia, they force people to see each other as a person of colour, they force people to be put into boxes about identity.

“It is really problematic - it means people can’t relate to each other naturally, they have rules in the back of their mind and they can’t be spontaneous as their interactions are all overlaid with the desire to follow all these rules.”

Last year Oxford law students were told they could skip lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too “distressing”.

Earlier this year it emerged that Cardiff Metropolitan University banned phrases such as “right-hand man” and “gentleman’s agreement” under its code of practice on inclusive language.

The university guidance dictates that “gender-neutral” terms should be used where possible, adding that students should not allow their “cultural background” to affect their choice of words.

The University of Glasgow has started issuing “trigger warnings” for theology students studying the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, whereby students are told they may see distressing images and are given the opportunity to leave.

The term "snowflake generation" was one of Collins Dictionary's 2016 words of the year. Collins defines the term as "the young adults of the 2010s, viewed as being less resilient and more prone to taking offence than previous generations".

An Oxford University spokesman said: “The Equality and Diversity Unit works with University bodies to ensure that the University's pursuit of excellence goes hand in hand with freedom from discrimination and equality of opportunity. The newsletter is one way of advising and supporting staff towards achieving these aims.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/educatio...ing-eye-contact-could-guiltyof-racism-oxford/