Decentering Whiteness in Information Literacy through Critical Theories and Methods #ECIL2025

Pam McKinney here live-blogging from the first afternoon of the ECIL conference in Bamberg. Amanda L. Folk from Ohio State University in the USA spoke about the work she has undertaken with her colleague Tracey Overbey to embed the use of critical theories and methods to teach IL. The USA has a troubled history with race, with enslavement and segregation, and this has led to inequalities in education. In the USA the library profession is overwhelmingly white, which does not mirror the demographics of learners. How can they ensure that IL isn't exclusionary to students of colour? Meaningful discussion of race in libraries has been avoided up to this point, with a discourse of racelessness. There isn't an explicit mention of social justice in the ACRL framework; it doesn't account for the sociocultural aspects of information literacy, it upholds current dominant cultural values (white, heteronormative, patriarchal) rather than interrogating them or challenging them. This protects white people from racial discomfort and maintains white supremacy (drawing on the work of Rapchak, 2019). It is important to consider these issues and recognise that IL is not created or enacted in neutral environments. 

Educational institutions are becoming more equitable and inclusive, but this doesn't combat a legacy of exclusion, and doesn't take into account the ways of knowing of people of colour. Racism still exists, but it isn't as overt as before. Some white people find it difficult to see and acknowledge race, but if we can;t discuss the legacy of oppression, we can't create equality. 

This research study looks at the experiences of inquiry and study for black and African American students in high school and college, and how the support they get can be improved. Critical race theory provides the theoretical underpinning for the study. This is a tool to explore the role that race plays in lived experiences and identify ways in which to promote racial healing. It isn't a tool to make white people feel guilty about racism. Critical Race Theory encompasses many elements. but often, it is the idea that race is central to lived experience, identify racial microaggressions, interrogate meritocracy and neutrality, counter storytelling and intersectionality. The research focused on research assignments and these are common learning methods of teaching.

They interviewed 11 students who identify as Black or African American. They use a phenomenological interviewing technique that involves several stages: a background/warm-up, questions about high school research assignments, college research assignments and then to reflect on their overall experiences about research assignments. Tracey, as a woman of colour, conducts all the interviews to ensure that participants can be honest about their experiences. They are using the transcripts to create narrative case studies.

Photo: Door handle, Bamberg (Pam McKinney)