SPHL635

Human brains orient towards us or them. Diverse communities, institutions, and democracies often demand reconciling diversity and difference with community, family, and neighbor despite historical and contemporary repetitions in everyday life that distinguish groups of people. Our differences are both superficial and profound. Cultural, psychological, and physiological processes lead us to seek similarity and fear/reject difference. This course is practical and grounded for everyday practice in engaging diverse communities. It explores... possibilities and limits of solidarity, allyship, and accompliceship; common struggles with emotional regulation and empathy that prevent solidarities from being effective or ethical; possibilities and pathways for you and others; solidarity for you/your identities; basic brain and body science of engagement across perceived differences for you and the people you (seek to) work with to build connections and commitments across difference.