Return to the definition of cultural responsibility you wrote in week one. Copy and paste that definition in the top of a new blog. Then copy and paste your definitions from week four, and week eight.
Week 1.
Cultural safety is having a considered environment that allows for different cultures to be accepted and unhidden. To have cultural safety means that having a different culture isn’t looked down upon, but instead seen for the positive it is.
Week 4.
Cultural safety is having a considered environment that allows for ways of existing in the world that are different from one’s own to be accepted and unhidden. To have cultural safety means that having a different way of living from is different from one’s own way of living isn’t looked down upon, but instead seen for the positive it is.
Week 8.
Cultural safety and responsibility is having a considered environment that allows for different cultures to be accepted and unhidden. To have cultural safety means that having a different culture isn’t looked down upon, but instead seen for the positive it is. Cultural safety is also about protecting people’s cultures being diminished and/or forgotten. It is also about making sure that cultures have the ability to defend themselves from harmful attacks.
Discuss: how has that definition changed over time?
From weeks 1 to 4, the primary changes was the broadening of different cultures to be a more general ways of existing in the world that are different from one’s own. This change was made to better include elements that may not directly link with culture or differences that people do not with a particular culture. The largest change from week 4 to 8 is the expansion of a couple of key ideas. One of those changes was specifically about addressing and protecting culture from being forgotten and/or diminished. This change was added to address some of the issues brought up in week 7. However, I would implement a further change on retrospect. Before going onto the next added line, I would mention the culture itself has to be given the ability and tools needed to protect them from being forgotten. The next line changes in week 8 was added to make is expressly clear that a culture needs to be given the tools to defend itself and not be thrown to the proverbial wolves.
Examine the last module in particular. Consider the idea of ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ groups, systems of oppression, the role of gender, and what political artwork might look like. How has this affected your definition? Would you change anything now?
I am unsure what I would change directly, I would instead use the information that I have learnt to rewrite it with the new information in mind. The particular focus of this rewrite would be writing in with the knowledge that I am the person writing it and I have my own context and bias. The last module, and the course as a whole, has caused large amounts of reflection onto those topics. As such, that is why the rewrite is important.
In the last module and in the course overall, what are the pieces of content that have triggered the biggest reactions in you, positive and negative? What has provoked comfort, outrage or wonder? Why do you think this is?
Before I begin, the following should be noted. I have not approached this course with enough time and focus to gain as much as I would have liked out it. This is for a variety of reasons that I would rather not go into. But I still feel like I have learnt a lot from this course. The part of the course that gave me the largest amount of confrontation was the different types of problematic allyship. While I had heard of the different terms before, directly confronting my own position and thoughts was quite challenging. Through that section of the course, I discovered that I would fall into the category of performative allyship. Confronting myself on why and how that happened was quite interesting and I hope will yield further self-reflection in the future in that area. In short, I found an area that I could improve on myself to grow. Another interesting element that was considered because of the cause is what my actual field is. At the beginning of the course, when I was asked a question relating to my field, I didn’t have a strong answer. However, over the course as those type of specific questions were continued to be brought up, I started to have a stronger opinion on what my actual field was. My field is visual media, specifically film, television and internet videos.
Conclude by writing a new definition of cultural responsibility that builds off your previous drafts. Make sure your definition includes you. How are you, in your practice and in your work, going to achieve cultural responsilbity? What are some clear practical steps that you can implement?
My own processes for cultural responsibility and safety is creating a considered environment that allows for different ways of existing in the world from both my own and others. To create a cultural safe environment means acceptance that people have a different way of living from my own and to see that for the positive that differences can bring. In my own work I must consider how my work interacts with the wider context of the world and make sure it doesn’t disrespect others who have different ways of existing in the world from my own. When the topic requires it, or I am unsure, I can ask/hire others for advice and feedback on the correct method to approach the topic.
