Janey Hinch
317 posts

Janey Hinch
@JaneyHinch
Learner of decolonial thought and anti racist practice. Trauma Informed Safeguarding/Parenting consultant. Solo parent, singer. All views are my own.









Good morning! Have you ever noticed how within predominantly white teams or institutions the only two black and/or brown people/employees around can become at odds? Why is that? I have not shared reflections this week so let me answer as a group analyst using what we refer to as ‘location of disturbance’ — a central concept to understand group dynamics, group dynamics of difference and particularly, the impact of racialisation in groups. I refer to this dynamic as racial gladiatorism. More in a moment. Location of disturbance is the process by which groups displace their dysfunction onto a particular person or persons. This process occurs we believe when communication is impaired in a group. When anxiety provoking matters cannot be expressed thus confronted directly by the group, hence the disturbance. With location of disturbance, an individual or a pair of individuals is/are therefore selected to carry that disturbance so the group can disavow the same and maintain its sense of innocence/goodness/virtuosity as those selected to as site, act out the conflict and can be disparaged/punished in some way. In racial gladiatorism, location of disturbance is racialised that is to say used for racialised purposes. Specifically, those racialised as other, become involved if only symbolically, often literally… in gladiatorial conflicts, which serve the group and white supremacy by extension. You therefore have clear echoes/repetition of that historical practice/use of the black/brown object. These are the conditions which makes racial gladiatorism more likely; 1) there is a high level of unaddressed anxiety in the group 2) there is disavowed competition between the black/brown employees 3) there is high level of disavowed racism or unaddressed institutional racism at play If these 3 conditions are in place, it is much more likely that these employees can be used/set-up by the group to act out the group disturbance and get in gladiatorial conflict for the spectatorial gratification of the group, thus of whiteness. Mostly this occurs unconsciously, under the watchful collective white gaze who can although implicated, position itself as detached and objectively innocent/good/virtuous…all while leaning into colonial scripts and formations to account for this violence. This is an extremely important dynamic to understand…so that whiteness can be recognised as an effective factor in the conflict. I hope to discuss this dynamic here; in the whiteness at work group; racereflections.co.uk/events/large-g…



Since getting back to Leeds from Parliament late tonight I’ve been speaking with Harehills residents affected by today’s very serious incidents. They care passionately about their community. They want the disorder to end. They want those pushing misinformation from afar to stop.










