Sociopolitical and geopolitical tensions in the classrooms: Our nervous systems and learning when the world is on fire

Injustice is bad for us. Extensive research demonstrates that our physical and mental health are negatively impacted by cultural oppression. Systems of ableism, ageism, homophobia, racism, religious intolerance, sexism, transphobia and other forms of xenophobia lead to chronic stress and negatively impact both physical health and mental health in equity-denied groups. When this violence enters the classroom in the form of microaggressions - it communicates to equity-denied groups that they are less than, deviant, or criminal in some way (Sue, 2015). In subtle and overt ways, students and faculty are made to feel that they do not belong. These forms of everyday violence impact our ability to teach and learn.

This workshop will draw from Bleuer's (2024) doctoral research to share a microaggression capacity building model - that helps educators address microaggressions and geopolitical tensions when they enter the classroom space.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• To become familiar with the geopolitical determinants of health framework and how sociopolitical traumas impact our nervous systems and by extension our capacity to teach and learn.
• To learn 3 nervous-system informed strategies that address tensions in the classroom. These strategies can be equally applied in the aftermath of microaggressions, and they can also support difficult conversations about the many ways our world is on fire.

The workshop is both didactic (to share theory and research) and experiential to practice strategy.

Audience: Concordia faculty, staff, teaching assistants and external participants