One of the key tenets of our collective is our desire to work against hegemonic understandings of group dynamics, specifically by undermining the idea of hierarchies within the classroom. The co-organizers of this collective come from a range of backgrounds and levels of education, and yet we believe that these educational distinctions do not merit certain members as more valuable or more knowledgeable. While it is important to acknowledge that we can never fully do away with these hierarchies, as we exist within educational, social, and political structures that continually, violently assert interactions of domination and power, we can, in the meantime, commit ourselves to working and hoping towards a future where these hierarchies don’t exist.
Chris (he/him) and Roya (they/them), who were both undergraduate students during the beginnings of the Pedagogies of Hope Collective, wrote this blog as a way to reflect on their experiences working in a collective that prioritizes non-hierarchical modes of working together, in all its complicatedness.
Beginnings with Pedagogies of Hope
R: I enjoyed attending Aytak’s office hours as an undergrad student because our conversations made me feel seen and like my thoughts mattered. So, when they extended the offer to join Pedagogies of Hope, I agreed right away. Honestly, I didn't even know what it was about at first–I just knew it would be a group of people like me, who wanted spaces within academia where all forms of learning and knowledge were valued.
C: When Aytak approached me with an offer to help with an on-going art exhibition, I remembered how much I admired Aytak’s class and pedagogies, and so I was eager to help. Later, during the first Zoom meeting where I met the rest of our amazing collective, I discovered that the plans were far bigger and exciting than just an exhibition. We were planning workshops, stage productions, and eventually a podcast, a social media presence, blog posts, and, most importantly, the formation of a collective and lasting friendships.
Lessons in Community
R: Pedagogies of Hope taught me that dreaming about utopias is not silly or a waste of time. Of course the oppressive systems we are located in don’t want us to dream, so that’s why we should! Together, with the collective members, I have been my happiest and witnessed moments I could only imagine, like our 2023 workshop. At the same time, I have learned that being angry and exhausted is okay, because it is this shared sense of being completely fed up with academia that moved us to imagine and organize the Pedagogies of Hope workshop.
There has never been a moment when I didn’t feel listened to, which was at first jarring as an undergrad student. I was working and dreaming alongside people who held Master’s and Doctorate degrees, yet they always reminded me that I was never on a lower level than them. It took getting used to, and I always felt like I had to wait for instructions that never came, but eventually, I settled in. I learned that this is how it should be. There should be no hierarchies and dreaming together is a radical act of care. Showing up for one another and being there in times of hopelessness is how we understand what hope is, and dreaming through incoming storms is how we navigate through them.
C: In the early stages of forming the collective, I was truly in a constant awe. Every time one of our collective members, who are very intelligent Master’s and PhD scholars, turned to me and asked, "Chris, what do you think?" about what we were doing, I was both shocked and honoured. As an undergrad student, I felt I had been conditioned to respect the hierarchies of knowledge, where my role was to learn from these scholars, to assist, and to never be considered their peer in shaping the vision. Yet, it was a real pleasant surprise to find that they genuinely wanted me to be part of creating our shared vision.
The other members treated me as an equal and embraced my unique perspective. To feel seen, heard, trusted, and valued in ways that are kinda hard to explain, made all the difference. So, unlearning the hierarchy was definitely the biggest impact I take away from being an undergraduate amongst scholars. This aspect of the collective will always stand out to me, as it is an example of how we remained true to our values of transgressing academic norms, which continuously excites and inspires me.
Continuing our Learnings
C: Throughout the entire process, I felt we lived by what we aimed to promote, which is what first excited me about Aytak’s class and that’s what keeps me enthusiastic about what we continue to do as a collective. I hope to carry forward what I’ve learned from being a part of this collective into life after my undergrad by always staying true to my beliefs, from process to outcome, just as my collective members did when they welcomed Roya and me as full members of the group. Whether it is personal or professional, moving past hierarchies that determine the value of knowledge and embracing all the diverse places knowledge can come from will be something that will also guide me for what comes next.
R: Currently, I’m studying my English MA at McMaster University, and the reason I came back was because of Pedagogies of Hope and our collective members. I didn’t really see myself in academia until I met them and I knew I wanted to be in academia with them. Outside of academia, I’ve been using the sense of community I learned through the collective to form, take part in, and be there for other communities. When I work as a TA, I try to break hierarchies as much as I can while also acknowledging that I do hold power as someone who marks their work. I think my experiences here have become part of who I am now, and they flow out of me no matter what I do.
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