Why Equality is Controversial

Healthcare. Climate change. Immigration. Mass incarceration. Racial and gender disparities. Economic inequality and poverty. Democracy. Meritocracy. Educational inequalities. These and other topics have not only sparked conflict but have also highlighted profound inequities around the world. Understanding and addressing these issues demands not only an awareness of what it means to be human in our present moment, but what it has meant to be human in our collective past. By asking ourselves if intention or outcome matters more, we will interrogate from historical and contemporary perspectives some of the most vexing inequities our leaders face. What role do they play in instigating or resolving conflict? How does power impact inequality? How does controversy come into being in the first place?

Over the year, we will explore historical and present-day examples of complex social challenges, focusing on those that advantage certain groups of people over others. We will examine the psychological, social, and cultural reasons that we take sides, including those against our self-interest; and investigate the deep-rooted legacies of systemic policies and norms we take for granted.

It is our belief that studying these topics helps make us better citizens and leaders, better situated to make meaningful change whether at the level of the University, the city, the country, or the world.