This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “Concepts and Methods.” How does one conduct ethnographic research when you cannot get within 6 feet of each other because of government regulations? COVID 19 restrictions make … Continue reading
Category Archives: Ethnography of the University: Focus on Diversity 2021
The word “diversity” is everywhere in universities these days, but what does diversity mean,
and what does it do? How does “diversity” shape the life of the university? Is diversity
something you embody, or something you do? How exactly do faculty, staff and students “do”
diversity and what becomes of their efforts?
Students from Prof. Tania Li’s fall 2021 course entitled ‘Ethnographic Practicum: Ethnography of the University’ compiled blog posts and documents from their experience conducting ethnography of the modes of work that shape the University of Toronto.
Taking Photos as an Ethnographer, By Charlotte Millar (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “Concepts and Methods.” The place I want to photograph is filled with students. But the people there are unwelcoming. They are clearly busy with their work. I … Continue reading
Encountering Walls, and Finding Something Unexpected, By Charlotte Millar (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “Concepts and Methods.” When you encounter your first ethnographic wall [a blockage, a dead end], it feels like you are stuck in your research and will not … Continue reading
The Consequences of Not Belonging, By Mason Lorch (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “On Being Included.” In my research into diversity work at the University of Toronto, I ended up thinking a lot about the phenomenon of belonging and how diversity workers … Continue reading
Digestible Diversity, By Isabella Gillard (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “On Being Included.” A common theme that arose from my interviews was a discrepancy between the campus food presented and labelled as ethnic food and the original … Continue reading
Questioning Complacency: Why do Students Accept poor food choices on Campus? By Isabella Gillard (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “On Being Included.” When I began the interview with Viv, she admitted that she wasn’t sure how helpful she would be because she had “never thought about” … Continue reading
Seeking Diverse Food Beyond the Dining Hall: Take-Out & Food-Trucks, By Isabella Gillard (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “On Being Included.” To cope with the dissatisfactory cultural food at the dining hall, many international students turn to sources outside of the dining halls to reduce … Continue reading
The Work We Do Is Not for the University, By Nana Koomson (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “Doing Diversity Work.” While doing ethnographic research on how students perform diversity work at the University of Toronto, I discovered that students see themselves as diversity workers. … Continue reading
Does Your Diversity Work Make a Difference, By Nana Koomson (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “Doing Diversity Work.” While doing some ethnographic research on how Black students imagined themselves to be Diversity workers within the University of Toronto, I discovered that students … Continue reading
Diversity Work: Student-Led Student Groups vs Administrator-led Student Groups, By Nana Koomson (Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity)
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2021: Focus on Diversity.” It was originally posted in the category “Doing Diversity Work.” Diversity is a diversion from what is normal. One student leader described the University of Toronto to be a very “white space”. As such, diversity … Continue reading