Reevaluating University Paradigms and Diversity Programs

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This chapter explores the debate on the coercive paradigm in universities, advocating for a center-left approach that focuses on intellectual inquiry, civic cooperation, and inclusivity. It discusses how values of social mobility and diversity transcend ideological boundaries and highlights personal experiences to illustrate diverse perspectives on educational success. The chapter emphasizes the role of universities in preparing students to address societal challenges, critiquing current diversity programs and proposing a more respectful and cooperative approach.

Yascha Mounk and Eboo Patel discuss how interfaith work can serve as a model for engaging productively across differences.

Eboo Patel is the founder of Interfaith America and the author of We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy. Patel also served as an advisor on faith to President Barack Obama.

In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Eboo Patel discuss how the dominant diversity paradigm in many institutions divides individuals into oppressors and oppressed; how universities can draw from the intellectual tradition of pluralism to encourage mutual respect and cooperation; and how university leaders can alleviate the deeply polarized atmosphere that prevails at many institutions around the country.

This conversation is part of a new Persuasion series on the Future of Universities. Universities are in crisis—losing public support, shaken by internal divisions, facing angry donors and alumni, and increasingly straying from their core mission of intellectual curiosity and open inquiry. Persuasion's new series about the future of universities, made possible by the generous support of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, will consist of a collection of longform essays and podcast interviews aimed at helping higher education tackle this crisis.

This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clari t y .

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