On Friday, UT professors discussed the current state of the university in relation to concepts such as liberalism, anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion. controversial statementan event co-sponsored by several departments and programs in the College of Liberal Arts.
events occurred at the same time civil wara multi-day event. It started on On March 21, many of the same issues were discussed. The discussion featured his three main panels: a keynote address, a roundtable on pedagogy, and a conversation on history and defining America's founding.
Lina Chun, assistant professor of American studies, moderated a panel discussing pedagogy, or the practice of teaching. She said limitations exist in higher education, including Senate Bill 17, because professors often teach ideas that disrupt the status quo.
Pavithra Vasudevan, assistant professor of women's and gender studies and African and African diaspora studies, pushes these boundaries by making education a space open to change and helping students apply the content to current global affairs. He said it would be useful for application.
“(Pedagogy) is about creating a space for action and reflection,” Vasudevan said. “Looking at the classroom as a space where students go through their own processes individually and then come together to collectively create a process. Masu.”
Annette Rodriguez, assistant professor of history, said it's important to teach about the past in order to learn about the present, an idea called presentism. She said that because students see history as progressive, they have a hard time understanding that history can be a long story of injustice that is not yet over.
American studies professor Lauren Gutterman said she prides herself on being presentist in her classroom.
“(My goal is) to teach them history that they didn't learn in school,” Gutterman said. “Some students say it’s too negative, but that’s okay.”
Stephen Marshall, associate professor of American studies, was one of three speakers featured in a historical debate on whether 1619 or 1776 was the true founding of the United States. This question came from a Civil Discord panel also held on Friday.
“In fact, my reflection was sparked by the first campus-wide symposium that our colleagues held,” Marshall said. “A colleague asked me a question the other day that was so bad that I'm reformulating it.''
Marshall said the question forces a heated response that “doesn't provide a real answer” and that questions that take into account the politics surrounding the issue would be more informed and better address the issue. He said he could handle it.
Bedour Alaglaa, assistant professor of African and Diaspora studies and a speaker at the dialogue, said the problem with this question reflects a larger problem with periodization.
“Why not free yourself from the desire for empirical origins?'' said Aragura. “Maybe what we're doing right now is, 'What are the questions we want to answer?' And, 'What are the potential stories that could respond to that?'
