Summary of Idea
During an online Dickinson blog comment section recently, it became clear to me that many of our students and alumni are still steeped in racism and misogyny. The intersection of black and female having an opinion on males overriding her comments seemed to make some people lose their minds. It occurs to me that deep dive into White Fragility might be a good challenge. It is difficult to realize that you may be somewhat or perhaps a lot racist when you think you are not. Exposing this is hard but in the end makes for a better human being and citizen. This could be a history course that examines the systemic racism that has occurred or it could go under psychology or sociology. Books like "White Fragility" and "So You Want to Talk About Race" could be used.
Dickinson College is an elite institution and my education there was unparalleled. However, sometimes elites going to an elite institution do not examine themselves carefully enough. I am sure that Dickinson has grown more diverse over the years but the racism and anti-feminist sentiments should be examined with and through this diversity.
How does your idea relate to or support the college's strategic framework?
I do think this proposal aligns with Dickinson’s strategic priorities, particularly the following two:
II Cultivating Community:
We will guide students through essential questions and purposeful reflection to ensure that they are active participants in their Dickinson education, recognize the value of their experiences in and out of the classroom and graduate prepared to lead lives of consequence.
III. Educating Global Citizen Leaders
We will integrate civic engagement throughout the academic program and within student life, building capacity for a lifetime of engagement beyond the limestone walls.
What partnerships, on campus and off campus, do you envision?
I am far from Pennsylvania now, but could see History and Psychology partnering in creating a course for this type of reflection.
How will your idea positively affect the education of Dickinson students?
I think that any time you can learn more, become more sensitive to social issues, and examine your own complicity while determining how to be better is good for growth as a human being.
How will your idea positively impact the world beyond Dickinson's campus?
By creating better human beings who can be better citizens when they go out in the world!