Difficult Dialogues Initiative

Promoting Pluralism & Academic Freedom on Campus

religious diversity and the making of meaning: implications for the classroom

Posted by: Nichole

Date: March 23, 2009

This is a link to a special issue of the journal Diversity & Democracy foccusing on how faculty members can incorporate discussion of religous diversity in their classrooms. 

New Journal: Journal of Diversity in Higher Education

Posted by: Nichole

Date: March 9, 2009

Beginning this March, the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education will publish quarterly to disseminate diversity relevant research, theory, and practice.

Web resources for diversity in higher education

Posted by: Nichole

Date: March 9, 2009

DiversityWeb provides a central location for exploring how to achieve the goal of placing diversity at the center of the higher education mission.

Teaching Democracy through Dialogue

Posted by: Nichole

Date: February 2, 2009

Democracy Lab uses online tools for incorporating dialogue about contemporary issues in coursework.  The project is sponsored through the Institute on the Common Good at Regis University in Boulder, CO. 

New Book: Doing Diversity in Higher Education

Posted by: Nichole

Date: January 24, 2009

Winnifred R. Brown-Glaude editor of a collection of essays by faculty on what it means to do “diversity in higher education” describes, in an interview, the themes—dismantling hostile microclimates, focusing on accomplishments,valuing diversity as an intellectual project, dealing with incomplete institutionalization—of the book.

Faith, Science, and Academic Freedom

Posted by: Nichole

Date: January 24, 2009

The AAUP issued reports on two cases in which colleges have been charged with violating due process and the academic freedom of professors whose research and teaching explore science and religion.

Speech Restrictions at Northeastern Illinois

Posted by: Nichole

Date: December 23, 2008

Northeastern Illinois proposed a new policy requiring protesters to submit copies of “visual” communications, including newspapers, fliers, and signs, to administrators at least two weeks before bringing them to campus.

2 Wins for Illinois Professors

Posted by: Nichole

Date: December 3, 2008

Political speech and negotiations over a research and education center were recent controversies at the University of Illinois.

Religion, holiday displays, and public universities

Posted by: Nichole

Date: December 3, 2008

Public universities find themselves debating whether or not holiday displays may be displayed on campuses.

New ideas on academic freedom

Posted by: Nichole

Date: December 2, 2008

The meaning of academic freedom on college and university campuses continues to be debated.

Kafka at the Border

Posted by: Difficult Dialogues

Date: June 10, 2008

Inside Higher Ed article chronicles the experience of an international scholar who encounters many problems at the US border because of his last name which may suggest that he is Muslim.  Because of this issue other scholars are unsure about whether they can safely accept invitations to attend conferences or do collaborative research in the United States.