required "diversity" statements

[/sigh/twombly]

Two of my programs require something akin to a diversity statement as a part of my application. I am not particularly "diverse" (economically privileged white woman) so I'm having trouble responding (questions are something along the lines of how would you contribute to a diverse environment)... everything I write sounds fairly disingenuous! Any tips on walking the difficult line between acknowledging my own privilege and actually answering the question? 

Also, any insight into how such a statement contributes to an application would be appreciated--am I just overthinking this?? 

[surprisingly.articulate]

I haven't written a diversity statement myself, so I'm no expert; however, I think it should (ideally) indicate that the candidate has considered their own identity; the relationship between their discipline and minoritized communities; and the steps they can take--in research, teaching, etc.--to foster meaningful inclusion. Unfortunately, I don't have any tips, but I think they're popular enough (esp. in job applications) that you can find online resources if you haven't already taken a look.

[bht]

You should mention what have you done so far for disadvantageous individuals.

[Artifex_Archer]

Yale had a very helpful diversity statement webinar for applicants this past cycle. [As another economically privileged white female, I can relate to your anxieties.] Here are some points that I thought were especially valuable:

- Begin by clarifying, both to yourself and in the statement, how YOU define diversity. Consider 'diversity diversity,' if that makes any sense: of course, diversity can apply to physical characteristics, but there's also viewpoint, methodological, political, and pedagogical/academic diversity to consider. Make sure that both you and the people reading your statement know what you mean when you use the word 'diversity.'

- Don't volunteer too much about your own privilege or lack thereof. You never know who will be reading your statement and what preconceived notions they may have about people of your race, religion, political party, socioeconomic status, or any other identifying demographic characteristic.

- Yes, it's good to refer to your prior experience contributing to diversity [especially in your academic or professional career], but committees tend to be more interested in what you will do, not what you have done. Think about what you'd like to do to promote diversity, however you define it, in higher education—especially in your academic field—and how you'll use the unique resources at University X to do that. Be sure to talk about what you'll do to continue to promote diversity after graduating as well. [A lot of schools have awesome volunteer teaching initiatives, both on and off campus. You can also talk about starting reading groups, journals, etc.—this is the place to draw from prior experience, to show that you have a sense of how you might go about realizing your mission.] But the focus should be on the future, not on the past.

- Look for opportunities to include information that isn't located elsewhere in your file [statement of purpose, CV, recs, etc.] Doing so may help you get creative in terms of how you define diversity. [This tip also applies to other application materials, like a personal statement. You have a finite amount of space and an infinite number of things that make you unique. PhD applications are, among other things, grueling exercises in being resourceful and eliminating redundancy.]

As for sounding disingenuous, yes, there's always that risk. But I'm willing to bet that you aren't COMPLETELY cynical [even if you're a liiiittle cynical] and that you do think that 'diversity,' however you define it, is a good thing. Think about it: how has being around people with diverse opinions, backgrounds, characteristics, etc. augmented your own academic and professional journey? Once you convince yourself [and you likely already have] of the merits of diversity, and reflected on how you've benefited personally from it, it becomes easier to speak from a place of authenticity. It still may sound disingenuous when you read your statement back to yourself, but part of that has to do with the fact that diversity statements are often the butt of jokes and many of us are more used to making a compelling academic argument than writing from a place of personal sincerity.

 

Hope some of this helps—good luck!