From a stranger to a 'one-of-us' ally: a new Confucian approach to community allyship
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Promoting social inclusion and supporting positive outcomes for marginalised groups through allyship has been a persistent feature of community-orientated psychological theories. Central to such works are mutually beneficial relationships between scholarly activists and communities. In considering such collaborations, the relevance of the Confucian concept of Ren (benevolent, human-heartedness) to allyship is clear. This approach features a Chinese form of relationalism, which involves transitions across different levels of interpersonal relations. From this perspective, establishing allyship involves a process whereby scholar activists’ transition from being a stranger to a one-of-us community participant. This transition is exemplified through reflections on a reciprocal collaboration between the first author and the Townsville Chinese Club. In theorising this example of allyship from a Confucian standpoint, we highlight the importance of understanding and enacting cultural nuances for establishing ethical and effective allyship in contemporary multicultural societies.
Journal
Qualitative Research in Psychology
Publication Name
Qualitative Research in Psychology
Volume
18
ISBN/ISSN
1478-0895
Edition
N/A
Issue
4
Pages Count
21
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Publisher
Routledge
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Publish Date
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Date
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EISSN
N/A
DOI
10.1080/14780887.2020.1769237