Paper short abstract:

We argue that to study and 'do' diversity in anthropology, three theoretical perspectives that take power relations into account are crucial: unlearning, decoloniality, and intersectionality. With these as starting point, we develop a practical toolbox to enhance diversity in anthropology teaching.

Paper long abstract:

In the Netherlands, debates about diversity in and decolonising the university have intensified over the last years. At the department of Cultural Anthropology of the Utrecht University, we as teachers and PhD-candidates have started a project called Toolbox Diversity in Education. In this project, we develop a toolbox for anthropology teachers and lecturers that offers practical tools to integrate diversity in an innovative and concrete manner into our educational practices. Our goal is to create a more inclusive environment in which students with diverse (ethnic/racial, gender, class, sexuality, migration, dis/ability, etc.) backgrounds, positions, and experiences can recognize themselves. In this presentation, we will present the findings from our research on diversity in education at our department, and place this in what we call a "paradox of diversity" in anthropology. To pay critical attention to diversity, we argue that a focus on power relations in knowledge production is crucial, and therefore we approach diversity from the theoretical perspectives of unlearning, decoloniality, and intersectionality. These three perspectives form the starting point for the practical tools we are developing; and which we would like to share and discuss with you in the presentation: a literature scan; how to diversify and decolonise your readings/literature; critical author-positioning; critical self-positioning; decolonising anthropology; inclusive dialogues in the classroom; how to discuss racism, sexism, and other -isms (including privileges and lived experiences); inclusive language use; and diversifying ethnographic research: where (not) to go for fieldwork.