We would like to invite you for an investigative conversation about the theme of White Privilege, in the next CHE salon on March 23. For example, have you ever wondered why the color of plasters goes so well with fair skin? This conversation is supervised by Patrick van der Hofstad and Josephine van den Bogaard, from the Constellation Decolonization of the CHE.

In recent years we have seen an increasing interest in the colonial past of the Netherlands. And also - not coincidentally - for racism and the unequal position of white and black people in our society. The book Revolusi by David van Reybrouck (2020), the exhibitions Slavery (2021) and Revolusi! (2022) in the Rijksmuseum, the revival of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, the book Wit is now the turn (by Lida van den Broek) are just a few examples of the large amount of publications and documentaries that saw the light of day in recent years.

It's good that there is -finally- more interest in facing the dark sides of our colonial past. An aspect of this, which has not yet received much attention in the media, is facing how that past still affects our current society and also in our own mindset, our own (often unconscious) norms and values.

In the Constellation Decolonization we have been investigating this since 2018. We also look at the ways in which that past affects our own lives. One of those more (for white people) hidden ways is White Privilege. The heated discussions surrounding the recently published book by Joris Luyendijk, but also the enormous resistance to the thesis White Innocense by Goria Wekker (2016) show, among other things, how difficult it is for white people to really face that privilege. It takes courage and real interest to want to know how that privilege manifests itself in our own lives, even though we may be disadvantaged in other areas.

In the Constellation we discovered that sharing our experience uncensored and listening deeply to each other is an important method to become more aware of deeper layers and patterns within ourselves and to decolonize. This deep listening to each other creates space for new discoveries. The one who speaks not only tells what she already knows - the solidified stories we constantly tell ourselves and each other - but spontaneously shares her experience from the living reality that she (and each of us) is at that moment. We will also apply this method in the salon to further investigate the White Privilege theme together

Patrick and Josephine will introduce the theme based on their personal experience. And then they take you into a discovery conversation.

The salon will take place online via zoom.

SIGN UP

You are cordially invited to participate in this CHE Salon on March 23. You can sign up by clicking the green EventBrite link. You will then receive a confirmation of your registration as well as some homework (a checklist about White Privilege). The zoom link will be emailed to you no later than Wednesday afternoon, March 23.

On our website you will find more information about the CHE and you can also sign up for the mailing list if you are not already on it.

Program in 2022

• Once a month a salon on Integral leadership will take place. The next dates are April 13, May 11 and June 15. If you have a suggestion for a guest, please send an email to info@humanemergence.nl.

• On the intervening Wednesdays there is room for other salons such as those organized by the Constellation Decolonisatie.

A recording is made of each salon that is developed into a report, a short article, an infographic or a podcast. You can then find them on the website.