In her talk, Dr. Ahmed explores how diversity is increasingly framed as forced change, an ideological imposition, or as compelled speech. Given these attacks on diversity and equality initiatives, it might seem that it is time to abandon critiques of what diversity is not doing. The aim of Dr. Ahmed’s lecture is to show how these critiques provide the tools to explain and challenge what is going on.

Dr. Ahmed will draw on two projects: the first on complaint; the second on common sense. For the former, she uses research from her newest book A Complainer’s Handbook: A Guide to Building Less Hostile Institutions for an understanding of institutional power and institutional change. She will also draw on a new project on common sense. Common sense is increasingly appealed to as a legacy, an alternative to “wokeism,” and as an argument against institutional change.

Further information and registration: https://events.ok.ubc.ca/event/changing-institutions-common-sense-complaint-and-other-lessons-in-legacy/

Time zone: 9am PST and 5pm GMT.