Social Justice Center Mission Statement

The purpose of the Social Justice Center (SJRC) is to help create social equality by transforming educational practices and curricula. A primary aim of the SJRC is to provide print, media, and web-based resources relevant to developing "diversity-inclusive" curricula and pedagogy for use by Virginia Tech students and faculty, as well as students and faculty at-large. By "diversity-inclusive" we intend a commitment to developing anti-racist, anti-sexist, and anti-homophobic curricula and pedagogies as appropriate to K-12 teaching as well as for higher education. Our aim is to educate faculty and students, as well as students in K-12 schools, about critical, radical, and feminist pedagogies, and to make available curricula materials that do not merely "celebrate cultural differences" but which systematically work towards eliminating discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class, physical ability, or religious preference. We understand "diversity-inclusive" curricula to be educational efforts which challenge institutional inequalities and the reproduction of social hierarchies in schooling. Our goal is to provide materials which directly challenge and work to eradicate social inequalities through inclusive education.

This project was initiated by Dr. Megan Boler, Dr. Kathleen Carico, Dr. David Hicks, Dr. Peter Doolittle, and Ms. Susan Ariew, and graduate students Kelly-Ann Nugent, Samantha Christopher, and Evelyn Thornton. The database management system and web delivery methodology were designed and implemented by Dr. Peter E. Doolittle. The project has been funded internally at Virginia Tech by the Department of Teaching and Learning, the Center for Excellent in Undergraduate Teaching (CEUT), the College of Human Resources and Education (CHRE), and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

The Social Justice Center consists of:

* A searchable Internet database of books, journals, articles, videos, websites, and other resources addressing diversity issues relevant to K-12 curricula in all subject areas. The database will be organized so that the user can select (a) subject area (e.g. English, Science, Math); (b) a format (e.g. book, video, journal, lesson plan, website); or, (c) social issue, (e.g. race, class, gender). The searchable database directs the user to materials that are primarily located at the Virginia Tech Newman Library, on the World Wide Web, or the Social Justice Center Library.

* A physical Diversity Resources Center library (currently available for browsing but presently non-circulating items) is located in the Department of Teaching and Learning (300 War Memorial Hall) that houses a range of highly recommended resources including books, journals, and videos. These titles will also be on reserve at Virginia Tech's Newman Library.