Curriculum for Compassion

Abstract

This chapter discusses the central question of whether a discipline and the faculty leaders associated with that discipline can focus on nurturing compassion and working towards social justice—in students and in their institutions—through the designing of a curriculum that puts an intersectional analysis of social inequalities front and center. As four sociology faculty from a midwestern state university, the authors discuss how our personal backgrounds and identities influence their pedagogy and their leadership in the institution. They see these two goals—of cultivating compassion within themselves, among students, and across institutional dialogue—as equally important parts of a fuller conversation on working towards social justice, equity, and inclusion. The goal in this chapter is to present a model for university leadership and educators that can identify the multiple levels of interlocution needed in institutions in order to foster a welcoming and compassionate environment for all.