At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. As representatives of German language, culture, and society in the American context, we have a particularly robust commitment to diversity. Modern Germany itself has become a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic nation, and we seek to represent this diversity in our teaching and research. Our aim is to train responsible world citizens through an approach to language, literature and culture that is mindful of cultural differences and shows respect for perspectives, values, beliefs, traditions and world views that have been shaped by different experiences and backgrounds. Students work with faculty and TAs whose backgrounds and interests represent diversity of all kinds. We strive to create welcoming and inclusive learning environments, promoting access, opportunity, equity, and justice for all. Individuals from historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, international applicants, immigrants and permanent residents constitute a vital part of our departmental community. We strongly support the diversity goals that have been set forth in the 2017-2021 UW Diversity Blueprint, the College's Mission Statement, and the Graduate School's 2011 and 2013 Diversity Reports.
The Department of German Studies expresses its full support for the statement from the German Studies Association's Initiative for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion and shares its message that we all must work "in whatever capacity we can to educate ourselves and those around us about explicit and implicit racial bias, the weaponization of whiteness, and the insidious concomitant of white privilege that is killing African Americans today, as it has been for centuries.”
In connection with this statement, we would like to share some materials for study, reflection, and conversation offered by UW’s Department of American Ethnic Studies, the Seattle Public Library’s Toolkit for Anti-racism Allies, and the online collaborative document "Black Lives Matter - Ressourcen auf Deutsch” for German-language resources, books, texts, people, and organizations in Germany.
Scholarly initiatives specific to the German-speaking world include Diversity, Decolonization and the German Curriculum, the Black German Heritage and Research Organization, H-Black-Europe, the Black Central Europe Network, and the New Fascism Syllabus.
Department Committee Members
- Kye Terrasi (chair, sabbatical fall 2020), kterrasi@uw.edu
- Jason Groves (faculty member), jagroves@uw.edu
- Brigitte Prutti, (faculty member, acting chair, fall 2020), triest@uw.edu
- Anna Malin Gerke, (graduate student representative), agerke@uw.edu
- Undergraduate representative: TBD
German Studies Faculty Adjunct involved in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies
Diversity (DIV) Courses in the Department of German Studies
The University requires all undergraduates to take a minimum of 3 credits, approved by the appropriate school or college, that focus on the sociocultural, political, and/or economic diversity of the human experience at local, regional, or global levels. This requirement is intended to help you develop an understanding of the complexities of living in increasingly diverse and interconnected societies. Courses that fulfill the diversity requirement focus on cross-cultural analysis and communication; and historical and contemporary inequities such as those associated with race, ethnicity, class, sex and gender, sexual orientation, nationality, ability, religion, creed, age, and socioeconomic status. Course activities should encourage thinking critically about topics such as power, inequality, marginality, and social movements, and support effective cross-cultural communication skills.
Diversity courses, past and present:
- Germanic Studies In English: The Layered City: Excavating Diversity in the Metropolis Berlin
- Representation And Diversity: Fairy Tales and the Environmental Imagination
- Representation And Diversity: Diversity in the Anthropocene
- Representation and Diversity: The Queerness of Love
- Summer Study Abroad: Summer in Berlin: City of the Past and Future: Film, Media and Diversity
Transcultural Approaches to Europe lecture series:
Diversity News
- AM Cauce about UW’s antiracist commitment
- GSA Initiative for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion, June 4, 2020
- Isaiah Back-Gaal: Recent alum reflects on identity exploration in a place of contradictions
- Isaiah Back-Gaal: Viennese Inqueeries: Queer Politics in Translation
- Awardees of the Diversity and Inclusion Seed Grant Program: The Department of German Studies will host a workshop facilitated by a professional consultant on race, equity, and diversity in order to provide a forum for instructors in the Humanities division to develop more diverse curricula and create more inclusive learning environments in the world language and literature classroom. Blueprint Goal Addressed: Cultivate an Inclusive Campus Climate: Spring 2019 Diversity workshop: Cross-disciplinary Conversations on Diversity and Inclusion in the World Language and Literature Classroom
- A school that values diversity could have health benefits for students of color
- A talk and performance by UW Alumna Hamda Yusuf: Stranger in the Village: The Language and Politics of Travel.
- Hamda Yusuf: My Fulbright Year in Vienna
- Why we need to protect free speech on campuses (essay): Freedom of speech, even that which is hateful and repugnant, is the price we pay for democracy, writes Ana Mari Cauce, and as educators we can and should protect it.
- President's blog: Ana Mari Cauce: Responding to proposed Title IX changes
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources
- Research Centers and Institutes UW faculty conduct research on the benefits of cultural diversity, as well as its challenges. This generates new knowledge that has economic, social and cultural impacts, on both local and global scales.
- Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program: GO-MAP GO-MAP sponsors educational and social events throughout thee year that help students connect with faculty, alumni, and other students. While many of GO-MAP's events and programming are geared toward underrepresented minority graduate students, they are open to all University of Washington graduate students.
- Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity: OMA&D The University of Washington Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) works to increase diversity on campus and enrich the collegiate experience of all UW students, faculty and staff.
- Race & Equity Initiative at the UW: REI President Ana Mari Cauce launched a Race and Equity Initiative in spring 2015, challenging all of us — students, faculty, staff and university leadership — to take responsibility for addressing our own biases and improving our university culture. The UW REI site shows different ways in which these issues are being addressed with increased funding, and a blog to inform of what is happening on and around campus.
- UW Diversity Blueprint Interested in reviewing the 2010-14 Blueprint to see how we measured up? With many of the goals for the 2010-14 cycle met or exceeded, there is still progress to be made. The 2017-2021 Diversity Blueprint builds on our past successes, acknowledges where additional work is necessary, and helps articulate university-wide efforts to advance a shared path forward.
- Q Center The center facilitates an affirming and celebratory environment for students, faculty, staff, and alumni of all sexual and gender orientation, identities, and expressions.
- UW Women's Center The center promotes gender equity and social justice through educational programs and services that allows all participants to succeed in life.
- Native Life and Tribal Relations Office The purpose of this web site is to centralize the Native-focused resources available on the University of Washington’s campus in Seattle. We understand the University can be a challenging environment for those coming from indigenous communities and difficult to navigate for anyone who is new to the campus.
- Samuel E Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center The Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center has a wealth of resources and opportunities available to students including student advising, organizational development, personal growth, and referrals to different departments and programs.
- Directory of Cultural/International Groups Over 800 student organizations register with the Student Activities Office every year. UW student organizations provide great resources also for international students. They range from the Japanese Anime Discovery Project to First Nations at UW.
- Awardees of the Diversity and Inclusion Seed Grant Program Listed by grant cycle
General diversity, equity, and inclusion resources
- Diversity at the University of Washington: The University of Washington’s main diversity website
- Recommended Reads for Equity: Recommendations for books about diversity, equity, and inclusion, curated by the UW Libraries
Minority affairs resources
- Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity: Works to increase diversity on campus and enrich the experiences of students, faculty, and staff
- Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center: An inclusive space designed to foster academic and personal success
- Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA): Oversees and manages the University’s affirmative action program
Immigration resources
- Leadership Without Borders: Resources for undocumented students
- International Student Services Office: Visa and immigration advising for international students on F or J student visas
Disability resources
- The D Center: UW’s Disabled and D/deaf cultural center
- Disability Resources for Students: Resources for setting up access and accommodations
Gender and sexuality resources
- Title IX at UW: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Our interim Title IX coordinator is Valery Richardson, valeryr@uw.edu, 206-616-9713
- Education and outreach: Online and in-person training for preventing sex discrimination and sexual harassment, and responding to those affected by sexual misconduct
- Survivor Support & Advocacy: Health & Wellness offers confidential advocacy and support for students impacted by sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, sexual harassment and other related experiences.
- Q Center: A student-run LGBTQ center for UW students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members
- MyPronouns.org: Resources on personal pronouns (what they mean and why they matter)
Mental health resources
- Counseling Center: Resources for students seeking help in coping with stress or other mental health concerns
- Let’s Talk: Free, confidential, informal drop-in counseling service at UW
Economic resources
- Sportula: Provides microgrants (petty cash of $5-$300) to economically marginalized undergraduates in Classics
- UW Campus Food Pantry: Provides UW students, staff, and faculty with nonperishable groceries and select fresh produce for no cost
Reporting violence
- Bias Incident Advisory Committee: How to report bias incidents
- Safe Campus: How to report violence or threats to the safety of yourself or others. NB: Faculty and TAs at UW must report to the authorities any reports or evidence of sexual violence they encounter; one way to do so is through Safe Campus.
Resolving conflicts
- Office of the Ombud: A collaborative and confidential environment to discuss your situation, consider options, and develop a plan for the future
- University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (UCIRO): Investigates complaints that a University employee has violated the University’s non-discrimination and/or non-retaliation policies