Commitment to Anti-Racism

SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT COMMITMENT TO ANTI-RACISM

We, the members of SUNY Geneseo’s Department of Sociology, pledge to continue to teach about, speak out, and take action against racism and social injustice. As educators, scholars, and citizens we understand that our ultimate purpose goes beyond the mere pursuit of sociological truths, and recognize that sociological knowledge can serve as a foundation for individual liberation and spur positive social change.

Since its inception, sociology has shown that systems of oppression and domination are pervasive features of modern societies. The core concepts and approaches to studying racism in contemporary society emerge from sociologists, both empirically and theoretically. Our curriculum is, almost by its very nature, infused with understanding how race and racism pervade nearly all aspects of society.

As sociologists we know how racism, from everyday interactions to institutional structures, harms people of color in our society. As the sociology department, we are not immune to the effects of racialized structures and systems and should be setting the standard for both self-reflection, action, and change. We acknowledge that - individually and collectively - we can always do more to confront and challenge racism in practice.

We are committed to undertaking the work necessary in our department to further enact antiracism and work toward achieving equity and social justice. We understand that this will entail continuing to educate ourselves about the experiences of students of color on our campus, learning from people who come from historically oppressed backgrounds by centering their voices and perspectives in our efforts, and advocating for increased diversity of faculty and students in our department and college.

The Sociology department is committed to creating a space that is diverse, inclusive, and active in pursuing efforts to achieve equity for our students, colleagues, and community.

(Approved: December 2020)