Abstract
This chapter discusses the central question of whether a discipline and the faculty leaders associated with that discipline can focus on nurturing compassion and working towards social justice—in students and in their institutions—through the designing of a curriculum that puts an intersectional analysis of social inequalities front and center. As four sociology faculty from a midwestern state university, the authors discuss how our personal backgrounds and identities influence their pedagogy and their leadership in the institution. They see these two goals—of cultivating compassion within themselves, among students, and across institutional dialogue—as equally important parts of a fuller conversation on working towards social justice, equity, and inclusion. The goal in this chapter is to present a model for university leadership and educators that can identify the multiple levels of interlocution needed in institutions in order to foster a welcoming and compassionate environment for all.
Compassionate individuals construct institutions that embody what they imagine; institutions influence the development of compassion in individuals. - Martha Nussbaum, 2001 p. 405
TopPeople who study sociology professionally often tend to be non-conformists who may find themselves at the fringes, and often dream of changing the world. Some sociologists have a specific area in which they work to effect positive change. Our studies often bleed through into real-world activism and participation in movements, civic organizations, political bodies, or other avenues of change. The effort to understand often inspires efforts to make a positive impact, to leave the world better than we found it. The four authors of this chapter are united in our effort to critically examine social inequality in its complexity and engaging students in working towards social justice.
Key Terms in this Chapter
First-Generation Non-Traditional College Student (FGNTS): A first-generation college student is a person who is the first member of their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. A non-traditional student is a student who must juggle career and family responsibilities in addition to attending college. Non-traditional students may be retraining for a second or third career later in life, be married, have children, and/or work full-time in addition to attending college. An FGNTS, then, is a student who faces both sets of challenges, to some degree.
Double-Bind: A seemingly unwinnable situation in which a person is caught between two social pressures or expectations that pull in different directions.
Habitus: The set of mostly “second-nature” thoughts, feelings, and bodily actions that are shaped by broader social and cultural influences and expectations. A habitus begins to develop in early childhood, tends to be resistant to change, and comes to shape others’ perceptions of us in terms of our respective social standing.
Comfort-Zone Racism: The phenomenon of students’ sense of comfort significantly influencing when and how serious social issues are confronted - as well as who is qualified to confront them. This comfort zone of students contributes to the perpetuation of racism.
Equity by Design: “Is a methodology to understand and address disparities and move towards meaningful institution (system) wide multifaceted equity-minded practices. The methodology is influenced by the research and literature of Dr. Estela Bensimon at the Center for Urban Education, University of Southern California. This work is: data-informed, influences organizational development, influences change management strategy, prepares institutions to be student-ready, and prioritizes equity in academic outcomes.” https://www.minnstate.edu/system/equity/Equity%20by%20Design.html
Gateway Course: A credit-bearing college course that serves as a foundation or entry-level for a degree program.
Racialization: The social process of entering into spaces based on the historical legacy of race and racism in the US. Foreign born people are perceived to be of a certain race which influences their treatment in racialized spaces according to existing racial hierarchies.
Equity 2030: “A bold, strategic vision…[that] aims to close the educational equity gap across race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location by the end of the decade at every Minnesota State college and university.” https://www.minnstate.edu/Equity2030/what.html