Using College Football as an Analogy in Teaching College Diversity Courses

Abstract Diversity can be a difficult subject to teach in higher education, especially in settings where exposure to diverse cultures can be limited The use of analogies or metaphor can be particularly useful to provide students with opportunities to think critically about new topics while relating the material to familiar subjects. In this article, we propose the use of an analogy of college football as a way to better integrate diversity topics into college classrooms. The broad appeal of college football on college campuses lends itself as a great platform to discuss otherwise challenging topics such as privilege, racism, sexism, sexuality, and power in the United States. The use of analogies can create a non-confrontational and less defensive environment in college classrooms. We outline the potential use of this analogy with a fictional case study in a university setting. Potential benefits and limitations of the approach are discussed.