Speaking Silence

The invisibility of disrespect in Obstetrics can be viewed as “desiring silence”. Such “silent discourses serve to maintain a status quo … [and are] produced by a longing for maintaining a normative and unchallenged (even unrecognized) belonging (status) that is important” (Jackson & Mazzei, 2012:100).

Recently I was surprised by two students who insisted that their reflective commentaries should remain private without any sharing with colleagues, even anonymously. While the reflection on a challenging incident was troublesome, the other was complimentary of a clinical educator displaying great skill and empathy.

While reading, Thinking with theory in qualitative research (Jackson & Mazzei, 2012), I realized the value of exploring what is producing the silence in medical education, and what the silence is producing. The forces and actions of the silences provide channels to unpack the many issues that are emerging from my interviews such as the medical hierarchy, professional silos, status and power. The institutional teaching machine is embedded in these silencing desires. Students learn to be strategic to work with and among the silences - not to compete with their desires for success. Deleuze and Guattari's work becomes more important to me as I investigate these silences and desires.

Jonathan Jansen, the Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State has challenged the silences in South African society and Higher Education Institutions. He has transformed racial practices and cultures through engagement and dialogue. By developing an authentic learning intervention that promotes dialogue, there is a chance for the opening up of silences to explore the desires.

The image above was created using Notability on the iPad. I see my research as the blue arrow entering this vast space of intra-actions related to “desiring silences”. I will seek “to understand the confluence of interests that both produce desire, and that desire seeks to produce and/or protect" (Jackson & Mazzei, 2012:96).