Paper short abstract:

Drawing from experiences as both, a student and a teacher (in the conventional sense), this paper seeks to explore the experiential dynamics that the affect of whiteness has in the classroom.

Paper long abstract:

This paper seeks to explore the emotionality of the classroom from two opposing and complementing perspectives. Being a PhD candidate and thereby set at the (institutionalised) intersection between student and teacher, it draws from experience in both conventionalised settings. After reflecting on positionality, this paper aims to delve into the emotionality of the classroom by interrogating its affective whiteness. Building on many facets of whiteness (Ahmed 2000, 2004, 2007, 2012), such as white fragility (DiAngelo 2011), white shame (Sullivan 2014; Alcoff 2015), white guilt (Lorde 2012 [1981]; Sullivan 2014), white innocence (Wekker 2016), white privilege (McIntosh 1988), white ignorance (Mills 2007) and white vanguardism (Alcoff 2015), it focuses on affective moments of whiteness in the classroom. Often times sparked by a comment, in these moments - marked by uneasy glances, a thickening of air, a palpable presence of silence - whiteness is almost tangible yet so fleeting and forceful that it catches us off guard. This paper will elaborate on what they are and how, if at all possible, to turn these into effective sites of transformative learning.