LGBTQ+ Staff Network

School of Modern Languages & Cultures

“Thinking about the diversity of our curriculum is important for two reasons. Firstly, it signals to students that we care about inclusivity and that the University offers a space where ideas can be discussed constructively. Secondly, it allows us as researchers to think about our own prejudices and assumptions, which can give us a whole new perspective on our work. The best way we can be more inclusive is to make small changes at local level, whether that’s including a more diverse range of examples in our teaching slides or even just acknowledging that we are looking at something from one particular perspective.”

Resource:

Diversifying Our Courses Advice – School of Modern Languages & Cultures

Initially developed by colleagues in the School of Humanities to counter gender stereotypes in aiming for gender equality, this modified guidance distributed amongst the School of ML&C suggests methods that are helpful in attempting to broaden inclusion in the curriculum and classroom

Diversifying my courses would take too much time. It will take time, but the pay-offs are significant: countering stereotypes and biases that are constraining LGBT+ students and academics; giving proper recognition to research done by LGBT+ individuals; and re-vitalising tired reading lists and becoming aware yourself of good work that has previously eluded you. Note that if only members of under-represented groups diversify their courses, this sends an unhelpful message: that only they rate the work of members of that group.

Finding sources. Consider asking fellow academics—personally or via social media—for suggestions of work on specific topics by under-represented groups. At some universities, GTAs have been paid to help academics diversify their lists. If students are involved in “co-creating” a course, that’s another context in which they might contribute.

Keeping on it. Your reading list’s diversity, once achieved, can be eroded as you update it over the years. Also, monitor the resources of the kind mentioned above so that when women or other under-represented groups start working more in a particular area you know about it.

Diversity in the language classroom:

When creating PowerPoints with images, ensure you include a diverse range of people of different genders, races and ages.

When teaching grammar, particularly grammatical gender, point out that grammatical gender is different to social constructions of gender but that it does shape how people who speak the language you are teaching understand gender.

Try to embed diversity into any examples on PowerPoints (e.g. use a mix of male and female names, include some gender-neutral names, ensure you use names from across the world, use same-sex couples as examples).

If you are setting up a debate or dealing with social issues, make sure you acknowledge that whilst people may have different views, the classroom should be safe space and all views must be expressed with respect for others. It might be useful to assign students certain point of view for the purpose of the debate as a language exercise.

Dr Eamon McCarthy

School of Culture and Creative Arts

The Activist Stage is a Theatre Studies Honours course taught by Dr Stephen Greer. The course guide describes the module as “exploring the relationships between performance and activism, drawing on diverse practices… to examine the techniques and intentions of contemporary art which claims a political imperative.” Each week introduced a different area of political performance, ranging from protest actions, to dramatic plays, and community artworks.

Greer specifically pursued an LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum, inspired party by his own queer identity and research speciality but also commenting that pragmatically it heightens productivity; you are teaching a diverse group of individuals who will likely engage further if their identity is reflected in the course material. One week of the course was specifically framed around LGBTQ+ identities, analysing pride parades/protests as complex activist performance. The required texts for this week analysed various LGBTQ+ direct action groups and performances, discussing stereotypes of gender and sexuality, ‘rainbow capitalism’, and violation of LGBTQ+ human rights.  Outside the week specifically focussed on LGBTQ+ issues, the course continued to touch on them with required readings either written by or including queer individuals, as well as other marginal identities. Self-study questions were used to encourage discussion on the importance of intersectional identity.

Greer practiced a teaching strategy informed by intersectionality - stressing the importance of recognising student diversity, how individual world views are shaped by unique social situations and the complex ways in which structural forms of privilege and disadvantage might intersect. The first lecture highlighted that while some course material covers contentious topics, the classroom environment was “intended as a space of civil discussion and informed debate”, recommending students “spend at least as much time listening as speaking” and “trying to understand a point of view before critiquing it.” This first lecture encouraged a diverse and inclusive classroom environment, which enabled valuable discussions about LGBTQ+ issues throughout the course.

Interview with Dr Stephen Greer by Rachel Aitken