North Central Sociological Association 2020: John F. Schnabel Teaching Address: Practicing What We Preach: Inclusive Pedagogy and the Sociology Classroom

Abstract

As sociologists, inequality and difference are at the core of what we study as a discipline. At the same time, the college classroom can often be a site that reproduces and reinforces those same inequalities. Inclusive pedagogy offers sociology instructors tools that will allow them to put sociological theory and empirical research into practice in their teaching, to better live their values by disrupting inequalities in their classrooms, and to offer all students greater opportunities for success. While sociologists can and must do more outside of the classroom to create a more equitable and just system of higher education, inclusive pedagogy offers instructors a place to start in their endeavors to serve all students, regardless of background.