Teaching in Troubled Times

Intended audience: 
Academic Support Staff, Faculty, Graduate Students, Instructors, Post-doctoral students, Researchers

Audience shot at panel on toxic stress January 20, 2018

Co-hosted by the American Cultures Center, the Division for Equity & Inclusion, and the Academic Innovation Studio, these timely, interactive dialogues feature dynamic faculty panelists and engage the Berkeley community in exploring how equity and justice challenges – locally, regionally and nationally – are impacting our students, instructors, classrooms, and campus. All events feature plenty of time for open, facilitated discussion. 

Check out recaps and recordings of past programs under the Stories tab and our YouTube channel.

This Fall, join us for a "semester of learning," by exploring the topics in the series and helping us identify key take-aways, new scholarly questions, and practical strategies for the classroom.

Instructors and academic staff who participate in the full series are eligible for recognition by Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education Cathy Koshland and Vice Chancellor of Equity & Inclusion Oscar Dubon. More details will be shared at the kick-off event on September 5.

In this series

Beyond Accommodations: Changing the Disability Frame
November 18, 2019
Teaching in Troubled Times - Culminating Event for a Semester of Learning
December 5, 2019

Past events

Difficult Knowledge, Trauma-Informed Pedagogy, and Safe-ish Spaces
September 12, 2019, 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center (AC Center), Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Division of Equity & Inclusion (E&I), Academic Innovation Studio (AIS)
Violence and trauma are all around us—fatal shootings by police, sexual violence, family separations, addiction, abuse, displacement of refugees. Often, these situations give rise to individual healing journeys and collective efforts to create change. But the pain and loss embedded in them also has...
Campus Climate Dialogue and Teaching in Troubled Times Kick-Off
September 5, 2019, 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center (AC Center), Division of Equity & Inclusion (E&I), Academic Innovation Studio (AIS)
Since Spring 2016, the Teaching in Troubled Times dialogue series has broached many topics essential to the well-being of our students and of our campus community. As we enter a new academic year, please join us to kick off a "semester of learning," anchored by our signature panel-driven programs...
How to Have Political Conversations in the Classroom?
October 29, 2018, 10:00am to 11:30am
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center (AC Center), Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Division of Equity & Inclusion (E&I)
In facing the midterm elections, which will see people vote for members of both houses of Congress, for governor seats in 36 out of 50 states, and a packed California ballot, this panel and community discussion will consider how faculty are navigating the nation’s thorny politics and supporting...
Squeezed on All Sides: Economic Pressures Facing Berkeley Students
October 26, 2018, 11:00am to 1:00pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center (AC Center), Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Division of Equity & Inclusion (E&I)
How does the high cost of living in the Bay Area affect Berkeley students and impact their learning, health, and academic success? Hear from faculty and staff who are working to alleviate some of these issues and join in a discussion about what we, as individuals and as a campus, can do to help.
What to Do If ICE Comes to Campus: Rights, Recommendations, and Resources
February 26, 2018, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center (AC Center), Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Division of Equity and Inclusion (E&I)
Recent statements made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Thomas Homan indicate that California may soon be targeted for increased enforcement, raising questions for Berkeley faculty, students, and staff about how to support members of our undocumented community and...
Whose Classroom? The Generative Potential of Conflict in Higher Education
February 7, 2018, 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center (AC Center)
How can we use the misunderstandings and conflicts that arise in the classroom as points of embarkation toward more honest and rigorous intellectual pursuits? How can we think of our evolving values and priorities, not as accommodations or concessions, but as opportunities for deeper learning? We...
Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired: Dealing with Toxic Stresses on Campus and in Our Classrooms
January 19, 2018, 11:45am to 2:00pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center (AC Center), Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Division of Equity and Inclusion (E&I)
Please join your campus colleagues for an open, facilitated conversation about how we understand and respond to the collective stresses and traumas affecting our students and their learning experience here at Berkeley.
Addressing Food Insecurity and Basic Needs Among UC Students: What Can Berkeley Do?
November 15, 2017, 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
Division of Equity and Inclusion, UC Berkeley Basic Needs Committee
The latest systemwide data from the UC Institutional Research & Academic Planning team at the UC Office of the President confirms that 39% of undergraduates and 23% of graduates at UC Berkeley are experiencing food Insecurity. Additionally, 5% of undergraduates and 6% of graduate students self-...
Between Censure and Good Sense: Trigger Warnings and Safe Space in the Classroom
August 21, 2017, 3:00pm to 4:30pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center, Center for Teaching & Learning, Division of Equity and Inclusion
Open to: Faculty Description: A discussion is a powerful tool, but facilitating challenging discussions often leaves many of us feeling ill-equipped to address the very complex emotional and intellectual topics that enter our classrooms. In this pre-semester conversation, we will consider a variety...
Assignment Design for Social Justice Education
April 17, 2017, 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center, Blum Center, Center for Teaching and Learning, Division of Equity and Inclusion
Read a recap of this program. Open to: All faculty, graduate students, and academic support staff Description: Interested in bringing social issues into your course(s) but not sure how or where to start? Already teaching about social justice but looking for ideas or support? Come hear Berkeley...
Inviting Students to Bring Themselves to Class: Connecting Learning and Lived Experiences
March 21, 2017, 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Teaching in Troubled Times
Hosted by
American Cultures Center, Blum Center, Center for Teaching and Learning, Division of Equity and Inclusion
Open to: All faculty, graduate students, and academic support staff Description: In higher education, we want learning to be relevant to students’ lives, but how often do we explicitly incorporate students’ lives--who they are, what they know, where they come from--into our teaching and research?...

Event type

Dialogue, Featured

Topics