"I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was 'meant' to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks."
—Peggy McIntosh*In this Institute we will discuss the concept of unpacking our "invisible weightless knapsacks" of privilege, and in so doing, we hope to provide you with a knapsack full of useful tools to use as you begin (or continue) to teach the concepts of privilege and oppression in your classrooms. The Knapsack Institute welcomes ALL faculty committed to improving their teaching around issues of privilege and oppression.
*McIntosh, P. (1988) "White privilege and male privilege: A personal account of coming to see correspondences through work in women's studies." Excerpted from Working Paper 189, Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, Wellesley, MA.
| What is the Knapsack Institute: Transforming the Curriculum? | |
| The Knapsack Institute
provides educators with a framework for teaching about privilege and oppression, as well as a forum for
sharing ideas and strategies. The Institute will focus on the foundational
works on curriculum transformation, as well as recent work in the areas
of gender, race, class and sexuality studies. We will emphasize pedagogical
approaches to teaching diversity, and will include hands-on activities for
the classroom.
As our nation becomes increasingly diverse, it is imperative that educators have the understanding and resources to effectively navigate discussions about diversity and inequality in the classroom. Research shows that most teachers are unprepared to productively discuss and confront diversity issues. Race, class, gender and sexuality are highly personal and emotionally-laden subjects. They may evoke a range of responses in students, from hostility and anger, to guilt and depression. The workshop will prepare faculty to preempt and manage such responses and be better prepared. Our goal is to help you create an inclusive and empowering classroom experience for all of your students. This will be the sixth year of the Institute, which has been facilitated by The Matrix Center for the Advancement of Social Equity and Inclusion, in collaboration with the Ethnic Studies and Women’s Studies Programs. It is designed for university faculty (particularly those new to teaching this subject matter) and future faculty members, although high school educators may also benefit from participation. The Ethnic Studies and Women’s Studies Programs at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs have received national attention for their collaborative relationship and their innovative programming. The Institute will both contribute to the professional growth of faculty participants, and enhance the commitment to diversity at your home institution. The Institute will provide support and networking opportunities to enhance recruitment and retention of diverse faculty; provide opportunities for both informal and formal mentoring; support and provide resources to develop curriculum and share ideas regarding teaching diversity issues at home institutions; offer leadership development; and contribute to student learning. Research documents that a diverse curriculum benefits all students. |
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| What topics will be addressed? | |
| The Institute provides
faculty members with time and support to develop a new course, or to transform
an existing course. Faculty interested in developing an Introduction to Diversity course for their campus or community are also encouraged to attend. An integrative framework will be introduced, emphasizing
the matrix of race, gender, class, sexuality and other axes of privilege
and oppression. The Institute will offer specialized workshops on the impact of race and gender on students' evaluations of teachers; specific issues facing white teachers; specific issues facing teachers of color; teaching about transgender; teaching with film; addressing immigration issues in the classroom. In addition, we will address a host of topics including
the following: Topics:
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| Who should apply? | |||
| This workshop is designed for university teachers who are interested in bringing discussions of race, gender, sexuality, etc. into their classrooms and who would like to broaden their strategies for doing so in an effective way. New and experienced faculty at both the college and high school levels as well as graduate students are encouraged to apply. The workshop is aimed at those who are relatively new to teaching this subject matter. Participation of faculty from all disciplines is encouraged, especially those who do not currently emphasize race and gender diversity in their curriculum. Over 50 participants have come from Anthropology, Engineering, English, Foreign Languages and Cultures, Geography, Math, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology. Registration is extremely limited. Universities are encouraged to send teams of faculty interested in developing curriculum transformation workshops for their home institutions. | |||
| Workshop Directors: | |||
Abby Ferber, Director of Women's Studies and Professor of Sociology Christina Jimenez, Professor of History Special Guest Instructors: Tre Wentling is currently a Sociology PhD student at Syracuse University with a focus on health inequalities, and transgender studies. Tre received an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2004. Tre also has two years experience teaching race, gender, sexuality, and sociology courses, as well as multiple presentations at regional and national conferences on various transgender topics. This year, Tre coauthored "Teaching Transgender," which was published in Teaching Sociology, and co-edited an upcoming volume titled, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality: The New Basics (Oxford Press) . |
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| Cost: | |||
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Registration Fee:
$1000.00
(This fee includes required readings and materials, continental breakfast and lunch all three days, and one dinner banquet. Applicants are encouraged to seek funding from their home institutions.) Remaining meals are not included. There are a variety of choices for
dining both on and off campus. Lodging is also not included. |
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| Travel/Lodging/Parking: | |||
The Institute begins officially on Thursday, June 5, 2008, but there will be a welcoming reception on Wednesday evening, June 4, 2008. This reception is optional, but you are encouraged to attend if possible. (The full Institute Schedule will be published at a later date; there will be a full schedule of activities on Saturday, June 7.) Colorado Springs is easily accessible by air; participants may fly directly to Colorado Springs (COS), or to Denver International Airport (DIA), which is one hour away. The approximate cost of taking a taxicab from the Colorado Springs Airport to UCCS is $30. Lodging On campus: a block of campus dorm rooms are reserved. Single Private Room: $43/night; Semi-Private Room (private room contained within a 3- or 4-bedroom suite): $33/night; Double Room: $28/night. All prices include linen and UCCS Recreation Center pass (no toiletries); standard mattresses may not be considered hotel quality. Payment in full for entire stay is due before the start of the Institute. If you are accepted into the Institute (see the section "How Do I Sign Up?" below), an on-campus lodging form will be included with your registration materials; payment for on-campus lodging must be made separately from your Institute registration fee. Payment for on-campus lodging is refundable in most circumstances if you are unable to attend. Lodging Off Campus: there are a variety of hotels in the vicinity of the UCCS campus. To view a list of these hotels, as well as driving directions to the UCCS campus, please follow this link. Parking will be free on campus during the Institute. If you're planning to drive or rent a car, you will be able to park in campus Hub lots without charge. To view a campus map, click here. |
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| Colorado Springs, the Ideal Location: | |||
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While in Colorado Springs, plan to spend some time exploring our incredible surroundings. With Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak just a few miles away, this is the ideal spot to get away to. We are also one hour from Denver, and only a few hours from Rocky Mountain National Park, Vail and Aspen. A little further away you will find Pagosa Springs, Sand Dunes National Monument, Durango, Telluride, and Mesa Verde National Park. |
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| How do I sign up? | |||
To apply, please complete the online Knapsack Institute Application form. The Institute will review your responses and, if you are accepted into the Institute, you will be notified by e-mail of your acceptance and registration materials will be mailed to you. You will be required to return the registration materials and submit your full payment as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, until all spots are filled. If you are accepted into the Institute, you will have two options for registering:
Registrations for graduate credit will cost an additional $150 above the standard $1000 Institute registration fee, and will require additional coursework to be completed after the conclusion of the Institute.
Contact Information: |
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