25.039 - Critical Explorations of the Discourses Shaping "Diversity Work" at Historically and Predominantly White Public Institutions

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium will engage panelists and attendees in interrogation of institutional diversity discourses, discussing how multimodal narratives about diversity shape the positionalities of racially minoritized and majoritized students. Discussion draws from empirical and theoretically informed analyses of public representations of diversity in institutional policies, data collection and representations, marketing materials, and events such as music and dance performances, lectures, and workshops featured in a “diversity” series. Panelists will present critiques of diversity discourses derived through their empirical research and facilitate an interpretive activity involving audience members in identifying, critiquing, and challenging diversity discourses that appear to mainly serve the dominant White majority. The objective is to collectively identify ideas for more democratic and racially inclusive institutional discourses.

Sub Unit

• Division J - Postsecondary Education / Division J - Section 6: Society, Culture, and Change

Chair

• Alicia C. Dowd, The Pennsylvania State University

Papers

• Troubling Diversity: An Intersectional Analysis of Diversity Action Plans at U.S. Flagship Universities - Susan V. Iverson, Manhattanville College

• "Cosmetic Diversity": University Websites and the Transformation of Race Categories - Ashley N. Patterson, The Pennsylvania State University; Karly Ford, The Pennsylvania State University

• Performing Diversity: Strategies for Engaging Critical Analysis of Diversity Programming - Alicia C. Dowd, The Pennsylvania State University; Ali Watts, The Pennsylvania State University