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Three Important Takeaways
Module 1: Making the Case for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)*
From Ways to Incorporate DEI into Your Courses By David Luke, Chief Diversity Officer, University of Michigan, Flint
Three Important Takeaways
Make the case. While you want to incorporate principles of DEI in your classroom, and a moral case for DEI likely resonates with you, not all your students or colleagues will agree. You should practice making the case for the importance of DEI to different audiences with different interests so that you can get more people onboard.
Do your homework. In your specific discipline, your argument for DEI will look different than for someone in another discipline. Sure, there will be commonalities, but you should spend some time critically interrogating the history of your discipline. Our disciplines do not exist in vacuums, and the development of academic study happens within a social context that has often been sexist, racist, anti-LGBTQ, nationalist, ableist, etc. Do your homework on this—it will also help you with the first takeaway.
Prepare for resistance. Some people will not be convinced. Still, work to get collective buy-in from your students and you will cultivate the environment that you’re trying to create. As the instructor, be upfront about your commitment to DEI, make your case, and then teach your course.
*Published 07/22. © 2022 Sage Publishing. All rights reserved. All other brand and product names are the property of their respective owners.