Introduction
The notions of “diversity” and “inclusion” are gaining prominence fast in social, political and academic discourse, and with good reason. Exclusion of categories of people, because of their skin colour, ethnicity, gender or other backgrounds, is a historical abomination which of course cannot be tolerated.
But what does it really mean in practice to be diverse and inclusive as an organization or as an individual? How can the notions of diversity and inclusion be construed, and how are they implemented in policy at the university and elsewhere? Are there “good” and “bad” forms of inclusion and diversity? And which deeper societal and political discussions and frictions have initiated or ensued from such policies?
We will reflect on all such questions in this course. There will be 3 highly interactive sessions with exercises and group discussions, next to some lectures.
Course information
ECTS: 2
Number of sessions: 3
Hours per session: 4
Key Facts & Figures
- Type
- Course
- Instruction language
- English
- Mode of instruction
- Online
What will you achieve?
- After this course you will better understand the meanings and relevance of diversity and inclusion in everyday life.
- After this course you will be aware of socio-political discussions and scholarly literature relevant to diversity and inclusion.
- After this course you will be able to reflect critically on the do’s and don’ts of diversity and inclusion policy.
- After this course you will be able to critically reflect on ways in which diversity and inclusion in research methodology and content can lead to innovation.
- After this course you will be able to critically argue the relevance and importance of accounting for diversity and inclusion in research teams and leadership.
- After this course you will understand the different focus areas of and collaborations within the educational system that can help achieving inclusive education goals.
Start dates
Please note this course is hybrid: the first two sessions are online, and the last session is offline on campus. It is not possible to join the last session online.
Session 1
May 15 (Thursday) 2025
13.00-17.00
Online (Teams)
Session 2
May 22 (Thursday) 2024
13.00-17.00
Online (Teams)
Session 3
June 5 (Thursday) 2024
13.00-16.00
Mandeville building (campus map), room T19-01
Entry level and relevance
The course is relevant for all students. There are no requirements for prior knowledge or training. Rather, the requirements are intellectual and emotional: please come with an open mind, with respect for the opinions and experiences of others, with a willingness to both talk openly and listen attentively.
Session descriptions
In the first session, we will explore the meanings and relevance of diversity and inclusion based on your own experiences in ordinary life. Have you ever felt excluded? Were others able to understand your exclusion? In what ways do you feel different from others in your class / degree programme / work environment? When has that difference been productive, and when a source of difficulty?
In session 2, we will explore how the concepts of diversity and inclusion are varyingly understood and debated in public and policy circles and in the scholarly literature; reflect on the relevance of often invoked related concepts, such as privilege and intersectionality; and explore how diversity and inclusion can be promoted in productive ways, while being aware of the possible limitations of the concepts and the entire discourse in which they’re embedded.
Session 3 discusses the value and implementation of diversity and inclusion (and the related concepts of equity and access) at Erasmus University and in the academic world generally. We will discuss, for instance, how one can foster an inclusive classroom, and how one can incorporate diversity and inclusion in research.
About the instructors
Ass.-Prof. Dr. Pranay Sanklecha works in ethics and political philosophy. He grew up in India, and has studied or worked at the Universities of Oxford, Bern, and Graz. His teaching and research interests cover topics like: the meaning of life, intergenerational justice, the ethics of climate change, methods of justification in normative philosophy, philosophy as a way of life. These research interests are connected by virtue of all being about one of the fundamental questions of practical philosophy: how should a person live? He is currently working on a book on the meaning of life, and how to live when we don’t know what it is.
Helen Tibboel is assistant professor at the Institute of Psychology (IOP) at Erasmus University. She is interested in the effects of expectations, reward, and goals on automatic attentional processing; instrumental learning and habit-formation; the role of “wanting” and “liking” in the development and maintenance of addiction (and moderating effects of attentional/cognitive control); the automatic activation of relational information.
Contact
- Enrolment-related questions: enrolment@egsh.eur.nl
- Course-related questions:
- Session 1 & 2: pranay.sanklecha@gmail.com
- Session 3: helen.tibboel@eur.nl
Telephone: +31 (0)10 4082607 (Graduate School).
Facts & Figures
- Fee
- free for PhD candidates of the Graduate School
- € 450,- for non-members
- consult our enrolment policy for more information
- Tax
- Not applicable
- Offered by
- Erasmus Graduate School of Social Sciences and the Humanities
- Course type
- Course
- Instruction language
- English
- Mode of instruction
- Online