Approaches to Diversity Education: A Critical Assessment

The idea that differences in race, gender, religion, sexuality, age - or other categories deemed unworthy of group inclusion shouldn’t matter when it comes to people’s access to all that a society has to offer is central to the teaching of diversity. Diversity courses can be powerful vehicles, not only for teaching students about social change and reclaiming the principles of past and present civil rights leaders, but also for refuting the notion that we already live in a largely egalitarian society. This paper examines what a small sample of diversity texts employ with respect to key concepts and definitions. It also makes recommendations for changes and tools to help move the discussion from diversity and tolerance to inclusion and social justice. Lastly, it argues that there is need for specific training for faculty who teach about diversity in order for them to be prepared for some of the critical questions they will be asked by their students

Are Library Users Also Computer Users? A Survey of Faculty and Implications for Services.

Describes the results of a survey of faculty members at Western Michigan University which was conducted to explore the relationship between faculty use of university libraries and faculty use of computers. Implications for libraries are discussed, including computer databases, faculty assistance, collaboration with computing staff, and marketing of electronic services

The Practice of Sociology: Alternative Futures for Applied Sociology.

Abstract: The future of applied sociology is being shaped by a variety of factors including the historical development of the discipline, the institutional context of colleges and universities, and a wide variety of social trends related to the goals and funding of higher education. Five alternative scenarios for the future of applied sociology are set forth: "Down and Out," "Subfield Status," "Increasing Focus," Ascension of Applied Sociology," and "Leaving Home." Internal and external factors shaping contemporary higher education and their possible impacts on the fu to of applied sociology are considered in order to assess the likelihood of the five alternative futures. Article: The current status of applied sociology within the larger discipline of sociology is a continuing source of discussion and debate whenever applied sociologists convene or engage in other forms of structured conversation. Some of this discussion attempted to define applied sociology, typically in the context of existing, traditional academic sociology (Steele and Iutcovich, 1997). But the uncomfortable fit between applied and academic sociology has been a real factor that cannot be ignored in the discussion. John M. Kennedy (1998) focused his 1997 Presidential address to the Society for Applied Sociology on this issue. Additional literature has looked at the interface created among teaching applied sociology, careers in applied sociology, and the representation of these interests by sociological professional associations. Several authors of chapters in Teaching Applied Sociology (Dukes, Petersen, and Van Valey, 2003) included comments about the status of applied sociology in setting a context for explorations of issues in teaching new generations of applied sociologists. In a session on the status of applied sociology, Robert Dentler (2004) identified several periods in the history of the discipline of sociology as being especially relevant to the status of applied sociology. More recently, Harry Perlstadt (2006) elaborated the disciplinary context of applied sociology. According to Dentler and Perlstadt, prior to the 1920s one of the fundamental goals of American sociology was the positive transformation of society. After that, sociology became more firmly entrenched in the ivory towers of academe and sought enhanced respectability through the use of scientific methods. This often required that "basic" rather than "applied" research was emphasized. During and just after WWII, however, sociology again began to be involved in applied research (primarily through large, funded projects, first for WWII and then for the War on Povert

The Conservative Debate and Its Impact on Sociology

Horowitz, under the guise of choice, has argued that students need a bill of rights to protect them from the so-called liberal professors in college. Brignall and Van Valey find that position contradictory since it would limit choice to only those views favored by one political party

Census '80 : continuing the factfinder tradition /

Includes bibliographical references.Mode of access: Internet