Fostering Diversity and Inclusion in the Social Sciences

<p>The United States' social and economic inequities stood in high relief during the COVID-19 pandemic spotlighting the glaringly disproportionate systemic injustices related to public health and the economic impact on minoritized communities. Realities of structural and institutionalized racism and classism were exposed to greater degrees as we sought to understand and investigate the inequitable impact regarding health and income disparities for African American Latinx and Native American communities as well as racial violence explicitly targeting Asian American communities. Further exacerbating the polarized sociopolitical landscape amidst the pandemic the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 witnessed by countless people around the world resulted in anguish and drew heightened attention to the insidious racial injustice and ongoing racial violence that continues to plague the nation. As many advocates took to the streets in an attempt to have their voices heard in the continued struggle for racial equality the federal government tried to further silence those who have been historically placed on the margins including the attack of critical race theory antiracism work in education and training for diversity and inclusion. Consequently it is imperative social science educators are equipped with the knowledge tools and dispositions to facilitate learning that explores the implications of power privilege and oppression and ask important questions to ensure voices that have been muffled or silenced altogether are strategically unsilenced voiced and valued.</p><p>Given the perpetuation of inequities existing educational disparities and the continued need for reconciliation this volume explores how the social sciences can be examined and reimagined to combat injustices and support further diversity equity and inclusion. Authors explore how educators can (a) understand how knowledge is constructed shaped and influences how students see the world (b) problematize current curricular approaches and reframe instructional practices (c) employ a critical lens to attend to and proactively address existing challenges and inequities related to race (d) infuse their teaching with greater attention to diversity and inclusion for all students; and (e) promote increased awareness advocacy and educational justice. Through the examination of research theory and practitioner-oriented strategies the authors encourage reflection inspire calls for action and explore how to teach about proactively challenge and encourage continued examination of society to support progress through increased critical consciousness cultural competence and critical multiculturalism. </p>