As part of the MET Anti-Racism Speaker Series
Dr. Keri Ewart and Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad engage in a thought-provoking discussion on “The Trap of Binary Thinking,” exploring topics such as the “me versus them” mentality, pro versus con issue stances, and coping with resistance. They examine the framework of power, privilege, and profit, emphasizing that one doesn’t need to be white to perpetuate white supremacy. Together, they delve into the importance of accountability, outcomes, and working with complexities and nuances, while highlighting that there are always more than just two options.
Resources:
- Educational Resources for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization – Wildfrid Laurier University
- Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Coalition Year in Review Report: 2023 – Wildfrid Laurier University
About Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad
Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad (@DrEizadirad) is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. He is also a community activist and Executive Director of the non-profit organization Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) in the Jane and Finch community in Toronto. He was an educator with the Toronto District School Board and a former member of the Race and Identity-Based Data Collection Community Advisory Panel with the Toronto Police Service (2021-2023).
Dr. Eizadirad is the author of Decolonizing Educational Assessment: Ontario Elementary Students and the EQAO (2019), and co-editor of Equity as Praxis in Early Childhood Education and Care (2021), Counternarratives of Pain and Suffering as Critical Pedagogy: Disrupting Oppression in Educational Contexts (2022), The Power of Oral Culture in Education: Theorizing Proverbs, Idioms, and Folklore Tales (2023), and Enacting Anti-racism and Activist Pedagogies in Teacher Education: Canadian Perspectives (2023).
He is also working on two forthcoming books for 2025: Activist Leadership for Inclusive Schools: Canadian Insights and a major international handbook approximately 55 chapters titled The International Handbook of Anti-Discriminatory Education. Dr. Eizadirad is also the founder and Director of EDIcation Consulting offering equity, diversity, and inclusion training to organizations.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5821-1076