A reflection on Kwarme Anthony Appiah Reith’s lecture on ‘Creed’
Kwame Anthony Appiah’s Reith lecture offers a thought-provoking exploration of the complex nature of religious belief and its place in contemporary society. Appiah highlights the importance of recognizing the diversity of creeds and the need for respectful engagement with different faith traditions. He emphasises the role of discussion and understanding in fostering tolerance and mutual respect, challenging the notion that creed must inevitably lead to conflict. By encouraging an open-minded approach that values empathy and human connection, Appiah presents a compelling argument for embracing the richness and complexity of religious beliefs as a means of promoting a more inclusive and harmonious world.
CTS part 2 –migration, identity and inclusion: I would love to add ‘The Reith Lectures’ in Mistaken Identities by Kawame Anthony Appiah as part of the teaching resource. This could be add onto the PowerPoint Presentation in the Identity session and the group Padlet. I would play sections of the podcast to gauge students’ interest and ask them to consider the impact of their identity through the influence of their cultural background and religion. This links in with the assessment criteria under “(Realisation) Demonstrate an understanding of, and practically apply, contextual knowledge of the subjects and its wider areas of influence.” As within the Unit Assignment learning outcome include, “the critical and informed analysis within the theory critical report will evidence consideration of current issues (locally and internationally) that would also relate to your personal progression topic. Using primary and secondary sources, you will demonstrate that you have understood how the theoretical and practice – based references can be applied towards your practice.”
A reflection on SoN Higher Power: Religion, Faith, Spirituality & Belief: Social justice/buddhism/queerness by Tiffany Webster
Tiffany Webster’s exploration of social justice, Buddhism, and queerness sheds light on the interconnectedness of these themes and the potential for transformative change. She examines how consumer orientated Buddhism was influenced by capitalism which shares similarities with Christian megachurches. As a Buddhist myself, I know there are different forms of Buddhism practice, so find that this is a narrow view. Webster underlines the importance of challenging unjust systems and promoting inclusivity within both religious and social spheres. Webster invites us to re-examine traditional concepts of gender and sexuality, raising acceptance and liberation. Webster’s reflection reminds us of the power of intersectionality, spirituality, and activism in the pursuit of a more inclusive and compassionate world.
CTS part 2 –migration, identity and inclusion: It would be interesting to add Tiffany Webster’s ideas as part of the teaching resource. This could be adding onto the pre-session reading material in the inclusion session and the group Padlet. It would be a good discussion task for the students to share their views on the article and reflective view on the perspective of religion and identity. This links in with the assessment criteria under “(Knowledge) Develop, reflect on and review ideas in resolving problem using a variety of theoretical and practical skills to identify and investigate appropriate primary and secondary sources relevant to your chosen field of study.” As within the Unit Assignment “the theory critical report will evidence a substantial body of references that have inspired and are relevant to the work during the personal progression unit.”
Reference:
Kwame Anthony Appiah, The Reith Lectures, Episode 1 Creed (2016) BBC Radio 4, 18 October. Available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b07z43ds (Accessed 29 May 2023).
Shades of Noir (2017) ‘Higher Power: Religion, Faith, Spirituality & Belief’. Available at: https://shadesofnoir.org.uk/journals/higher-power-religion-faith-spirituality-belief/ (Accessed: 20 June 2023).
UAL: London College of Communication. (2023). CertHE: Preparation for Design, Media and Screen. Unit Assignment. [Online]. Available at: https://ual-moodle-sitedata.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/35/2d/352d194598871a2f2b6828c49867a2fdf2f7436 [Accessed 19 July 2023].
Hello Michelle,
I really enjoyed reading about the ways you are integrating these resources to your teaching and introducing them to students. I particularly love the idea of playing parts of Appiah’s talk during a presentation on identity as a way to introduce students to the subject and spike their interest. Thinking of my own students, I think if I just asked them to listen to a long podcast they wouldn’t, so playing short sections to get them interested is a brilliant idea!
It’s interesting to hear your views on the piece about Buddhism. I am realising that we don’t speak enough about the complexities of faith and religion and they take a back seat in the quasi-secular UK society. It might be interesting to shed some light on these issues with students in class and to hear how this part of their identity informs how they think and create.
As I mentioned in a previous comment, to be able to use these resources, would help to create a new and more socially just canon. or, help work towards ‘citational Justice’.