Affective Anti-Racism Learning: Navigating Anger in a Mutual Aid Group

Abstract

Within the learning sciences, affect has often taken a backseat in literature even though it is inextricable from our learning processes. In this paper, I explore the affective dimensions of learning anti-racism, exploring a person’s affect while they takes action towards materially benefiting a racially oppressed group. I present data from conversations I had with research partners (n = 3) about their experiences acting with the intent to materially benefit BIPOC. Informed by ethnographic methods, we had weekly one-hour conversations for over a month and a half to hone in on their affective anti-racism learning. Here, I focus on one research partner’s experience working with a mutual aid group in Seattle and distributing resources to unhoused residents at an encampment. We had conversations about her emotional responses, particularly anger, when she learned that a police sweep was about to happen to the encampment. Findings from this study motivate further theorizations of affect and anti-racism learning with the affordances of present learning theories.