WAC Clearinghouse | Across the Disciplines | Special Issue: Anti-Racist Activism | Review Main Page

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On Consultant Responsibility

by Phil Zhang

As consultants, we find ourselves in a fairly unique position. I see myself as a peer to all who enter the writing center for help and advice, yet I don't think any one of us can deny that there is at least a minor sense of power differential between consultants and writers. After all, they are coming in to ask for our help. So the question becomes whether we should use our influence—however great or little it is—to point out and potentially help resolve racist thought.

The main issue revolves around the collectively inconsistent perceptions of the ethics involved in this situation. While some consultants find that it is their moral duty to bring attention to someone's racism, others may find that an attempt to change people's mindsets in a professional environment may be overstepping their bounds. Some people would rather not place writers in an uncomfortable situation—a practice that could potentially be linked with social norms and conditioning—but it may be necessary in order to make any sort of progress. Our role as consultants dictates that our actions lie somewhere in between staying silent and outright embarrassing writers by calling them out; however, this range of options doesn't necessarily mean our decisions are any easier to make. We cannot be completely ignorant to racist thought within the works we read, but I believe that an unspoken professional code—and perhaps a hint of social etiquette—demands that we cannot go so far to where it seems like an attack on the writer's character. Therefore, the most efficient route may require us to rely on the writer's own logic. It may be helpful to point out logical fallacies within racist comments and stereotypes, leading the writer to (hopefully) think rationally about the subjects. How we do this should be left to the consultant's own discretion; we could highlight the diverse range of opinions and their respective proofs, or perhaps some writers would be more convinced by specific examples. Either way, berating or humiliating them may have an opposite effect. This situation is analogous with the arguments against corporal punishment. Smacking or spanking a child for doing something wrong could spark a violent or hostile relationship and living environment, and without an explanation, the child would still be ill-equipped to avoid this occurrence in the future. Therefore, he or she might make the same mistake; the negative encounter may even fuel their bad behavior and they may be punished once again, creating a cycle of behavior and punishment lacking progress. I believe that our relationship with writers adheres to the same mentality. Though they are obviously not children anymore, they still have much to learn. As such, it is crucial that we handle the situation with tact and caution; do not push too hard without providing sufficient reasoning of their mistakes or they may very likely fall victim to the exact same thought patterns in the future.

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response by Evan Chambers

What Phil brings up about the tension in our responsibilities is key, I believe, to understanding just how far we can, should, or will go in a consultation; and this decision is always already embedded in the identity markers upon each of us individually. And that is why every one of us has a different reaction and perception of how to remain professional and activist. But part of our avenue to talking about race as consultants, perhaps, comes in the midst of this "professionalism" angst: if we still view ourselves as peers (a role we are more or less confident in) rather than as consultants (which, at least to me, can seem too professional and makes me thus a little hesitant - am I really an authority with the ability or place to speak in this way?), we may be more ready to address race in student writing. Insofar as the consultant role is a strong foundation from which to speak to issues of race, we should use it. But if the role brings about any hesitancy, and we would be more confident speaking as if it was something we heard someone saying in an apartment or the student union building, then maybe it would be better to view ourselves as peers. Is there more power in this?

I often feel a little unsettled about what my "role" is in a consultation. But if a role gives me a sense of timidity about discussing race in open, honest ways, then it is more than likely a reaction stemming from a disposition or outlook that serves a racialized set of ends.

• "Going There": A Conversation Between Consultants
• Writing as a Vehicle for Learning & Activism
• On Family and Abuse
• A Response to the New Racism (poem)
• Author Profiles

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