Collectively challenging systems that perpetuate oppression through the cultivation of campus partnerships and a keen awareness of privilege and power dynamics signals that we align with our students and educators who experience multiple forms of oppression, inequality, and stigma.
At the Searle Center, we understand, fundamentally, that there are inequities that undermine differentiating needs and ways of knowing among learners. We aim to support our instructors and campus partners as change agents, who bring a critical, socially aware lens to all aspects of the educational experience, and create opportunities for them to have thoughtful, restorative exchanges with their colleagues.
Our Community & Solidarity focused programs and resources activate Lisa Rosenthal’s five ways that practitioners can demonstrate a commitment to the pursuit of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. These considerations include engaging and collaborating with communities, addressing and critiquing societal structures, working together/building coalitions, attending to resistance in addition to resilience, and teaching social justice curricula.
We look forward to partnering with centers and departments to develop innovative programs and meaningful mentoring relationships that empower our instructors to support each other, in an identity-informed manner, and to be advocates and change agents within and outside of the classroom. We aspire to weave this spirit of care into our collegial interactions and learning communities.
Our programs offer the Northwestern community a variety of ways to develop teaching skills, enhance student learning, and find community. The following programs were created to build community and solidarity.
Nourishment at Noon is a drop-in gathering for instructors, at any career stage, to meet other educators who care about inclusive teaching and want to check-in and share how their efforts are going. This hour-long facilitated space, which convenes twice a month in virtual and in-person formats throughout winter quarter, will center instructor well-being, renewal, and community sharing.
Guides created by or in collaboration with the Searle Center to help educators and learners find community and solidarity.
A curated list of recommended books related to community and solidarity available at the Menges Library, located in the Searle Center.
Our current recommendations for both foundational and cutting-edge content related to community and solidarity.
Northwestern University recognizes educators and researchers doing innovative work. The following list includes opportunities which we believe dovetail with work related to community and solidarity.
Logistical and programming support for campus partners and individuals who want to build community among instructors with shared identities.
Below are all of our upcoming events related to community and solidarity.
Reach out to us at teach@northwestern.edu.