“You have to acknowledge that pain”: Emotion discourse in talk of transformative cultural competency learning

Monica L Emery

Increasing numbers of cultural competency courses delivered through Australian universities in recent years demonstrates the recognised importance of producing more inclusive and socially just graduates. Such courses target the development of critical thinking and perspective shift, with students thought to experience growth in line with transformative learning theory. Despite this, little work investigates cultural competency courses and their transformative effects. A critical discursive psychology approach is used to analyse parts of student focus groups and interview discussions on experiences within an Australian university cultural competency course. Given emotions are an intimately linked concept to transformation, we pay specific attention to how the process is understood and constructed through emotional talk. Participants are European-descendant dominant-group members and as such influences of society and culture on constructions are considered within Australian power relations. We find negative emotion categories through the ‘disorienting dilemma’ targeted towards learning of historical injustices and used to pass judgment on biased versions of history taught through Australian schooling. Consistent with later phases of transformative learning, gained resources through the course were used to explain new feelings of control via the emotional concept of empowerment. Similarly, emotions of gratitude were invoked to positively assess the knowledge learned, teaching staff, opportunities for self-examination, and the opportunity to contribute to reconciliation. These findings are discussed considering the growing literature surrounding cultural competency courses and their transformative qualities. Understanding these effects supports the continuing development and implementation of cultural competency courses, in efforts of moving towards reconciliation and a more equitable nation.

“You have to acknowledge that pain”: Emotion discourse in talk of transformative cultural competency learning

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