The overall goals of my teaching are to 1) provide my students with basic literacy of interconnected issues related to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) -such as White supremacy, gendered racism, colorblind racial ideology, and culture-, awareness of power dynamics, understanding the history of racism and other intersecting systems of oppression in the U.S., and 2) promote the development of critical consciousness, the emergence of perspectives, emotions, and actions toward these social issues (Bañales et al., 2019; Watts et al., 2011). Critical consciousness includes the capacity to identify social inequities and attribute their cause to structural factors (critical reflection), the belief in our ability to make social changes (political efficacy), and participation in actions that challenge how society functions (critical action; Bañales et al., 2019; Watts et al., 2011).
References:
Bañales, J., Aldana, A., Richards‐Schuster, K., Flanagan, C. A., Diemer, M. A., & Rowley, S. J. (2021). Youth anti‐racism action: Contributions of youth perceptions of school racial messages and critical consciousness. Journal of community psychology, 49(8), 3079-3100. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22266
Watts, R. J., Diemer, M. A., & Voight, A. M. (2011). Critical consciousness: Current status and future directions. In Flanagan, C. A., & Christens, B. D. (Eds.), Youth Civic Development: Work at the Cutting Edge (pp. 43–57). Jossey‐Bass.
My Courses
Learn about me and my teaching philosophy!
Latinx Children, Youth, and Families
CDE 598 (498)
Latinx children, youth, and families is a course aimed at providing students with an introduction to theoretical, empirical, and political issues related to child development and family dynamics of Latinx, Latine, Latino, and/or Hispanic communities in the U.S. The course will examine the role of laws, policies, culture, and activism on issues important to Latinx children, youth, and families, such as immigration, education, family separation, racism, machismo, homophobia, and mental health. We also discuss the strengths and rich cultural practices Latinx children, youth, and families use to affirm their identity and celebrate in community.
Family Ethnic and Cultural Diversity
FAS 370 (AFR 370)
This course emphasizes the importance of understanding multiple scientific disciplines, theories, and methods, helping you ask critical questions about diversity and inclusion. This class serves as preparation for citizenship by fostering perspective taking and understanding of racism, hatred, and inequality, which are crucial at a time of growing political polarization in the United States. Students are expected to reflect on how they can actively oppose racism and any form of discrimination in their daily lives.
Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
FAS 598
This course provides a broad introduction to systematic reviews and meta-analyses, providing basic conceptual, methodological, logistical, and statistical tools to conduct them. Because the field is vast, the material discussed will be selective. The course is divided into three units. Unit #1 focuses on the question “Why conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses?” and provides basic elements to understand their history, reasons, possibilities, and limitations. Unit #2 addresses the question “How to conduct a systematic review?” and covers readings and tasks to begin this process. Unit #3 engages the question “How to conduct a meta-analysis?” and builds on the previous two units to engage in this method.
Culture and Biology Interplay
FAS 598
This course provides a broad introduction to the field of culture and biology interplay, including the main theoretical frameworks, research methods, and recent studies, as well as a discussion of the main problems and opportunities associated with this field. Because the field is vast, the material discussed is selective. The course is divided into five units: introduction, animal culture, cultural genomics, cultural neurobiology, and cultural neuroscience.