The Chronicle’s annual “Diversity in Academe” issue has come out, this year with the cover story on “Social Class on the American Campus.”
There are other stories on:
•”hiring minority scholars”
•five nations (Canada, China, France, Lebanon, and India) that “struggle with their own diversity issues”
•undocumented students who “describe their challenges–and their dreams”
•the training of American Indians at Creighton to be dentists
•getting more minority undergrads to pursue PhDs in the humanities
•why there aren’t more black computer scientists
•remembering gay and lesbian applicants
•teaching at HBCU’s
•and a bilingual creative writing program at UTEP
I haven’t read most of the articles, just skimmed through them, but it seems that not a single one speaks of what may be the most important kind of diversity when it comes to learning outcomes in higher education: ideological/intellectual diversity. (Please offer comments if I overlooked something in the 63-page report.)
The piece on search committees reveals well the automatic assumption that “diversity” applies to identities, not ideas. One paragraph runs:
“Good candidates, however, might not rise to the top of a search committee’s list if that committee doesn’t have a diversity champion in its midst. Any ethnicity will do.”
The article mentions how “unconscious bias” can be triggered by clothing or a speech accent, and adds that ”Efforts to hire minority faculty members are most likely to go awry, experts say, when committee members deny that such biases exist.”
Very well, but we need to extend the point beyond identitarian grounds. With no attention paid to ideological/intellectual diversity, ideological/intellectual biases will surely continue.
17 Responses to A Simple Question About Diversity
chuckkle - September 23, 2010 at 5:44 am
Just for clarity, Mark, would you give a short definition of what you mean by “ideological/intellectual diversity” and some examples as to how this would appear in physical and biological sciences, social sciences, humanities, medicine, communications, engineering, business schools? If you think we should have some Marxists in business schools, and economics departments, I’m with you. But how are we going to get there?Do you mean that astronomy departments should have an “earth is flat” person on board? Or that we need a Creationist to balance those darn Darwinians?Chuck Kleinhans
markbauerlein - September 23, 2010 at 7:06 am
The need for intellectual/ideological diversity applies to those fields in which scientific method and/or vocational training do not dominate.
11125024 - September 23, 2010 at 7:11 am
There is at least one college in which the student population is strongly diverse in terms of ideology–Washington & Jefferson College just outside Pittsburgh. As far as we can tell, in the last eleciton 50% of our students voted for Obama and 50% for McCain. You can find students along the complete spectrum on almost any cultural issue–pro-life/pro-choice, gun laws, gays in the military, etc. And, because there are critical masses on both sides (or all sides) of an issue, students are not afraid to talk about their views. It does not make for a comfortable campus, but it does create an engaged one. It is difficult to recruit toward this kind of healthy mix (although the college’s remarkable socio-economic diversity helps), but the diversity is self-perpetuating once you have it.Tori Haring-SmithPresident, Washington & Jefferson College
quidditas - September 23, 2010 at 9:16 am
It’s hard to get what you’re calling “ideological diversity” when a large percentage of graduate education consists in writing lit reviews, and when grad students are regularly counseled to contribute to that existing literature lest they “end up out in left field somewhere.”Timid timid timid. Really, I think the faculty just don’t want them to venture into left field because it would be too much effort for THEM to have to familiarize themselves with–and evaluate–something new.As a result, it seems to me that most humanities and social science dissertations are ending up more lit review, and less original contribution to scholarship all the time. And new paradigms–forget it!Take the “new” American political history. It’s hard to see how this generation of work differs from any of the work done in social history with an eye toward understanding political inclusion/exclusion *per se* (and almost exclusively) since the 1970s, but, the graduates of more recent vintage that have re-named that approach insist it’s “the new political history.”I think it’s weak to try to make a spash for yourself calling that “new” NOW, but that is the current state of affairs. And, the discpline WAS heavily policed by their predecessors–to keep them from “ending up out in left field somewhere”– so I suppose reinventing the wheel all over again was not unexpected.
bioemeritus - September 23, 2010 at 10:09 am
If “The need for intellectual/ideological diversity applies to those fields in which scientific method and/or vocational training do not dominate”, these fields then appear to me to be dependent on nothing more than opinion and ideology, not evidence. Is it any wonder that students are shying away from such fields and administrators are cutting their budgets while STEMM departments prosper?
alvitap - September 23, 2010 at 10:34 am
Ideological diversity applies to any field,,,,especially in areas where the scientfic method now applies. In fact, so-called alternative ways of thinking, revolutionary ideas rejecting the special position of humans, will earn future awards. This will occur in everything from architecture to weed (as food). The current system of hiring and promotion is paralyzed. Something new will emerge that will destroy the broken wheel of today’s academic labor market. Universities owned by faculty.???Imagine how impoverished we would all be if the great paradigm shifters of the modern era had to build a dossier to obtain tenure, or to get hired, or to defend a dissertation?
ceslick - September 23, 2010 at 11:00 am
Collegues and I have had many discussions over the topic of diversity in higher education and hiring of “diverse” candidates. I applaud those who have tried to open up the opportunities to various individuals that have migrated to our country. I believe, however, that over the years we have lost touch of what truly matters and that is finding students and candidates that are best qualified. Why do we have SAT tests, grades, thesis’, dissertations, resumes, certifications etc. if the organizations are trying to fit these so called quotas to provide an ethnical diverse educational experience and/or work environment. The way I look at it is that we should look to the best qualified not the ethinicity or gender of a person. Remove the outer layer blinders and look at who people really are. I don’t like filling out my ethinicity or gender whenever I apply for a job. I then feel like I’ve just been catorgized and placed into certain buckets that may or may not help me land the job I want. I don’t want any so called diversity favors thrown in my direction. If I’m not the best (most educated, greatest experience, strongest proficiencies, etc.) then I don’t want to be hired for the position just because I’m of a certain gener or race. If we removed past diverity ideas that rest solely on the ethinicity of someone or their gender and focused on what Mark Bauerlein said,intellectual/ideological diversity we wouldn’t have to worry about missing good candidates as quoted,”Good candidates, however, might not rise to the top of a search committee’s list if that committee doesn’t have a diversity champion in its midst. Any ethnicity will do.”
dvacchi - September 23, 2010 at 11:21 am
#1 – it is tragic that your mind is so narrow that you cannot see what the author is talking about. How many campuses have pursued people who “think outside the academic box”. The academy used to be defined by those types of people and few exist any more. Academics have become a homogeneous group of group-thinkers. None of that is permanent – people just need to get creative, do meaningful research and focus on improving society, rather than increasing the size of their wallets all the time.
12080243 - September 23, 2010 at 12:09 pm
“University and AACSB Diversity” is a case study that offers a scientific method in which institutional promises are compared to institutional practices, specifically with regard to the promises and practices of diversity of ideas at an AACSB institution. AACSB claims to advance diversity at its member institutions like the University of Southern Mississippi and its College of Business and School of Accountancy. University and AACSB together reinforce each other’s promises and could, if they choose to do so, support each other’s efforts to conform their behavior to their promises. Given this background, the diversity research questions include: What do University of Southern Mississippi and it’s College of Business administrators do when they have “skin in the game” and are asked to consider ideas with which they disagree? “Skin in the game” includes discovery of misconduct and financial and reputational motives to conceal it. What does the AACSB do when asked to consider a question of diversity of ideas at an accredited business college? What is the race and gender of the participants? Does diversity of race result in tolerance of diversity of thought? If the university and AACSB fail in their promises of diversity of though and actively thwart policies in place to protect professors who “speak truth to power,” what should society expect from others–accountants, for example–in less protected environments? For a copy of the study, see, http://commons.aaahq.org/posts/3d4bfd4201Chauncey M. DePree, Jr., DBAProfessorSchool of AccountancyCollege of BusinessUniversity of Southern Mississippimarcdepree@gmail.com
chuckkle - September 23, 2010 at 12:56 pm
But Mark, you still haven’t said what you mean by ideological/intellectual diversity. Please, define it.As a Marxist, I have my idea of what “ideology” means, but I doubt that it’s the same as what you mean by the term.If it’s too hard for you to imagine other fields and disciplines, let’s take yours: English. Seems to me that almost all departments do have quite a bit of intellectual diversity: 1. by era/period : Medieval, Renaissance, Victorian, Modern, etc.2. by place/nation: England, Australia, US, Canada, Anglo-Caribbean, Ireland, Anglophone Africa, etc.3. by method: historical, critical, cultural, aesthetic, linguistic, sociological, psychological, etc4. by expressive form of the work studied: prose fiction and non fiction, poetry, drama, film, etc.5. by expressive form of the writer/student: critical analysis, creative writing, rhetorical criticism, journalism, prose composition, etc.6. and some other areas sometimes found within English departments or in close proximity to them such as English as a Second Language, Folklore, older and variant forms of English language, American Studies, cultural studies, philology, rhetoric, theatre, etc.Seems like intellectual diversity to me: what’s not to like?Chuck Kleinhans
dank48 - September 23, 2010 at 1:14 pm
For God’s sake, folks, how hard can it be? Mr. Bauerlein is perfectly capable of correcting this if I get it wrong, but as I understand him, ideological/intellectual diversity means differences of opinion, belief, and convictions.It’s really surprising how reflexively and therefore predictably many people in academia (like elsewhere, but it seems to me more so) simply assume that everyone agrees with them and are shocked, shocked to learn that some people don’t. This is evidence of an unofficial but still very effective party line. How much room is there in modern US academia for, oh, skepticism about the value of diversity, or doubt about the human component in global warming? Or about the long-term benefits to society of tenure?
12080243 - September 23, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Let me clarify my comment in #9. It’a a bit long but on point with Mark’s search of the Chronicle series concerning ideological/intellectual diversity. I was also looking at the series and didn’t see diversity applied to ideas and thought. I am particularly interested because of the study briefly discussed in #9. Our school and accreditor includes thought and ideas along with race and gender as issues of diversity. If you are interested in these topics, then my study may be of interest, too. It is available at http://commons.aaahq.org/posts/3d4bfd4201. When I began the study, I did so as an independent researcher. University administrators attacked me personally because of the study, which made for a very interesting outcome.Chauncey M. DePree, Jr., DBAProfessorSchool of AccountancyCollege of BusinessUniversity of Southern Mississippiwww.usmnews.net
willynilly - September 23, 2010 at 8:13 pm
To Chuckkle – I tried to explain to you earlier this week that Bauerlein will not accept any challenge you issue; nor will he provide you with the definition you seek. Obviously you are exposing his flawed reasoning, so he will ignore you as is his predictable practice. I tell you this from first hand experience. In reality there is no definition to the term he created. It was coined solely for his purposes in writing this brief piece. He needed a fresh entree into a topic that disturbs the hell out of him – namely Diversity. He wrote on the topic earlier this week and simply wanted a second bite at the apple. His nonsensical, expedient term was chosen to allow him to create a legitimate reason to revisit the topic. In reality Bauerlein despises Diversity with a deep passion rooted in his extreme far right political views. He will seek every opportunity to discredit the concept, but his writing style is one where he seeks to surround the real issue with diversionary concepts, theories and language, all intented to allow him to present his true points in a sublimal fashion. It has always amazed me that so many bright people, who post on this site, are totally bamboozled by his sneaky style.
jffoster - September 23, 2010 at 10:29 pm
As many as are taken in by your overstatements?Mr. Nilly, Professor Bauerlein does appear to me to have “extreme far right political views”. He’s a mild little right of middler. _I_ have “extreme far right” political views, somewhere to the right of Pharoah Ramases II. And I don’t conclude from his writings that he “despises Diversity”. I think he does want to know what it is actually a code word and / or euphemism for, and how much real diversity the Diversity Demagogues really want.
jffoster - September 23, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Sorry, 14 whould read “…does not appear to me to have …”. I find it hard to proof the commentor text and there’s no “review text” setting.
jpistone - September 23, 2010 at 11:18 pm
I think he’s referring to mindset. Mention “diversity” to almost anyone and a pretty-how scope come to mind. Nothing wrong with the object per se.. the fault is ours. If some officialdom decreed foo tomorrow, too many institutions would trip over themselves out-fooing each other. Ask 5 people to come up with a random (diversed sequence) number between 1 and 10 and if the first person says “7″, it’s a pretty sure bit none of the other 4 will repeat it, even though it has every random right to be repeated. That’s an odd conformity, but it does conform.
aneveningprayer - September 24, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Dear dvacchi,In regards to your post (number eight), what I find disappointing is that it appears as if you reverted to an insult to get your point across. I find it more respectful to leave out rude comments. I feel rude comments do not promote a healthy environment for sharing ideas which is what I thought we were trying to do here on the CHRONICLE. I am certain we can all find enough to discuss without insulting one another. Instead, lets promote a mutual respect for one another, even if we disagree on the issues at hand.