Projects / University of Michigan,
Project Title: Religious Diversity in the Public Research University PIs: Patricia Gurin, Nancy Cantor Distinguished University Professor, Emerita, of Psychology and Women’s Studies; Kelly E. Maxwell, Co-Director, The Program on Intergroup Relations. Location: The Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR).
The University of Michigan’s successful defense of its affirmative action policies in the U.S. Supreme Court was based on the premise that racial and ethnic diversity contributes significantly to student learning and preparation for life in a diverse democracy. While the focus of the cases was race, religious diversity is equally important for student learning. The university has just completed a campus-wide “theme semester” with curricular and co-curricular focus on the Cultural Treasures of the Middle East, which explored the Arab Middle East with richness and context across many disciplines.
The Program on Intergroup Relations (IGR) is a social justice education program committed to addressing social inequality and social injustice between diverse social identity groups through its courses and programs. We strongly believe the intersectionality of all forms of diversity and social identity should be invited into the learning process. Participants of all walks of life are encouraged to participate and to do so as whole beings (with multiple identities of varying degrees of saliency).
See the project's site here.