This session took place as part of the 2020 Conference. The presenters were Giang Nguyen.

Abstract:

During Black History Month 2019, YUSU and GSA hosted a panel discussion for students and staff, ‘Start the conversation: Decolonising and diversifying curriculum at York’. Interestingly, some of the conversations at and around the event touched upon whether diversifying the curriculum necessarily involves the complete removal of those who are dominant, namely, white, western, cis male authors. This raised interesting questions about student and staff reactions to diversifying and liberating activities and how best to sustain constructive conversations across the University. It also encouraged us to start thinking about resistance to change and how to overcome this. It was clear that we needed to continue the dialogue! We formed a Union strategy group and began thinking about how to stimulate dialogue and develop a vision for a diversified and liberated UoY. We wanted to develop our vision collectively with students, so we asked them what a ‘diversified and liberated York’ means to them. We’ve taken their narratives of hope, agency and collectivity and explored ways, we as Unions, can develop projects to drive small-scale change, which could eventually make their hopes a reality.

You can access the recording of this session at this link here:

University of York Students’ Vision for an Diversified and Liberated York (UoY Panopto log-in required)