After exploring how knowledge production functions at UBC and who it benefits, I believe it is crucial to look at ways to change the power dynamics and stop the injustices. In class we discussed alternative cartographies and knowledges and how they can be implemented in the institution. As Razack states, change is “about disrupting the hegemonic ways of seeing through which subjects make themselves dominant,” which is why discussing masculine sites and non-performative acts is crucial. Kuokkanen’s ideas on how Indigenous knowledge can be responsibly received is a great way to adopt alternative ways of knowing. They state we must discover how to learn from below and we must use Indigenous knowledges as ways to understand and structure academia. Kuokkanen also states that the institution must take responsibility for their complicity in the structures that hurt marginalized peoples and they must move beyond theorizing. I believe acknowledging responsibility is a big step towards having a just campus as we can then move away from the ignorance that is deeply rooted in the institution.
I believe Greek organizations, specifically, need to acknowledge the sexual assault and discrimination that takes place everyday in these spaces. As one of the main social spaces at UBC, Greek members have a lot of social and political say in the institution. These organizations must move away from the hegemonic masculinity and White ideals that are rooted in their founding values and morals. When speaking about implementing diversity work in the institution, it is important to look at how organizations on campus, such as sororities, solely do this superficially. By having women of colour pose for their pictures and by using them as spokeswomen for their organizations, Panhellenic is being complicit in the ongoing discrimination that people face under their control. It is not enough to just market themselves as a diverse space. Fraternities are also a toxic space where binge drinking, aggression and assault often occurs. The issue is that often times the institution does not hand down any punishments for these actions. There must be more work done to change how these systems function and how they oppress marginalized people. I am not sure if there is anything drastic that can be done to Greek organizations since they are rooted in heteronormative and hegemonic masculine norms and ideals. Would the Greek system still be able to function without them? UBC publicly attempts to distance themselves from these organizations but in reality these are students that are living on campus and are apart of AMS clubs. I am not entirely sure if you could have a completely just Greek system but would UBC take the steps to get rid of it? What would the implications be in terms of housing, alumni relations and donors if the institution took a real stand against the sexualized violence and discrimination that takes place in these spaces? This would be a very interesting project to do research in in terms of the social and academic spaces at UBC.