Hyper-Competition in Social Justice Advocacy in the Academy

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

In the first half of this session, scholars will briefly present ideas to help frame a discussion about how hyper-competition in the academy undermines our collective work as social justice scholar-activists. Panelists will also discuss the ways in which they have been involved in creating structures to push back against neoliberal pressures to adopt competitive logics in their positions as upper-level diversity administrators, department chairs, and members of faculty senates.

In the second half of the session, presenters will facilitate a conversation among participants to strategize how we might utilize this awareness to engage in more constructive, collectivist, and humanized social justice efforts.

Sub Unit

• Social Justice Action Committee

Chair

• Jon Syed Iftikar, Indiana State University

Participants

• Judy Marquez Kiyama, The University of Arizona

• Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn, University of Washington - Tacoma

• David O. Stovall, University of Illinois at Chicago

Discussant

• Samuel D. Museus, University of California - San Diego