Towards a more equitable syllabus
Women students in political science share what makes a syllabus feel fair and inclusive
Many undergraduate political science students lament what they see as a recurring trend in their classes: a single week devoted to women that is rarely integrated throughout the rest of the course material.
“We’re all familiar [with] the week on women, right?” asked Camille Hill, a political science and women and gender studies student at the University of Alberta. “[Professors] usually do it around week eight for some reason, right around reading week. Sometimes, it’s skipped.”
Ms. Hill responded by co-founding Women in Political Science (WIPS) at the U of A, a club where historically marginalized students can hold these discussions when their classes fall short. “If you’re talking about the study of power, why aren’t you bringing in all types of power?” she asked.
Critical perspectives included ‘out of obligation’
Jaypreet Dhillon, founder of the student-run club Women in Politics at the University of Calgary, has noticed the same trend in her political science program. Critical perspectives, she said, are often covered “out of obligation, but not out of necessity.”
Topics such as immigration, migration and feminist theory, she noted, are also often pushed to the end of the semester. “It’s a very small overview of it, or it’s not even acknowledged because we’re running late,” she said.
Many other students, including Faustina Cardinale at Huron University – which is affiliated with Western University – share similar frustrations. Ms. Cardinale, co-president of Western Women in Politics, encourages professors to use materials addressing institutional marginalization throughout their courses, noting how this fosters student engagement.
“A lot of students actually raised their hands more and are more engaged because these are important topics, especially for our generation,” said Ms. Cardinale.
Ms. Dhillon believes creating an inclusive space begins with intentions set on a syllabus. “In that syllabus, we’re not just recognizing the land we’re on, but we’re also talking about diversity and inclusion. We’re talking about gender … It starts there.”
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