Diversity Statement

The Department of History is committed to the foundational values that constitute the university and a just society, values such as religious freedom, the freedom to express one’s political ideas without being threatened with violence by those who disagree, and the freedom to be a member of the university community without having to fear harassment on account of one’s religious beliefs or other aspects of one’s identity. We stand against sexual, racial, and gender-based violence, and seek to educate our community about the deep historical roots of structural discrimination in the United States. We condemn the recent rise in anti-Black and anti-Asian hate crimes in our country and in our communities. We join in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate movements. We stand against the targeting of Muslims and the criminalization of undocumented peoples. We stand for the inclusion, protection, and overall well-being of all members of our community, especially those most vulnerable. Our faculty and staff are here to provide assistance and support.

Mission

The Department of History recognizes and approaches diversity as a complex and long-term project that should inform and transform everything we do. To address injustices and oversights of the past and the present, we aim to attract and retain different populations and communities in our faculty, staff, and student body. We also stress the need to offer a diverse intellectual program, including an ongoing discussion of our curriculum and pedagogy to enhance the quality and range of our graduate and undergraduate education.

Many faculty and graduate students in History are engaged with questions of how class, disability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and sexuality have shaped social relations and power dynamics across different time periods and geopolitical contexts. Beyond our scholarship, we realize that these are questions relevant to our immediate setting in the Department of History. As we attempt to cultivate a sense of collaboration and a climate of inclusion, we encourage all faculty, staff, and graduate students to reflect on our individual roles and Department policies and practices, pay careful attention to unequal access and power dynamics in and outside the classroom, and strive to promote equity in all aspects of our work.

Department of History Diversity Committee & Resources

The department's Diversity Committee strives to create an ongoing conversation about creating and maintaining an environment of inclusivity within our classrooms and making inclusion a central aspect of our wider departmental culture. To learn more about the committee and to access a list of diversity resources, visit our Diversity Resources page.

 

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