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Do you know what this feels like?
Case study:
When I was a first year student, my teacher gave all of us feedback on our contribution and where we need to be improving in our writing and analysis. He said to me, even before I had handed in any work for him to read, 'I am a Muslim too and I am religious; but when you write you should write critically and academically, you can't write like you are writing to a Muslim audience'. I felt he was stereotyping me even before reading any of my work. He saw me wearing a hijab and instantly he assumed that I would not be able to be critical and objective in my academic work. I wondered if he also thought I would expect him to understand me and give me a good mark because he is a Muslim. I just said, 'Yes, don't worry.' I don't know if I should have made more of an issue of it.
- Do some observation and fact-finding. Note down specifically what is happening or what has been said.
- Analyse it for a few minutes. Does it reveal a particular assumption or belief? In the case study above, the lecturer's apparent assumption was that Muslims, or maybe religious people generally, are not given to being properly academic and objective in their work.
- Build a good relationship with your lecturer first if at all possible. Show yourself to be responsible, trustworthy, and credible. Disprove the stereotypes in practice.
- Start by challenging stereotypes pleasantly, informally, or even with gentle humour if possible. Or you can try a direct question, as if for clarification. 'Does the fact that I am wearing hijab make you concerned that I don't know how to write a good essay?'
- If the problem persists you can ask for a meeting to discuss the problem in a more thorough way. See our advice on getting your point across:
Quick and easy communication techniques
Techniques for standing your ground