Equal Opportunities & Diversity

@ the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies

A Very Short Introduction

Faculty Committees

• Research and doctoral committee / ODC• Teaching Cell / onderwijscel (OC)

• Teaching Committee of the International Programme (TCIP)• Permanente Onderwijscommissie (POC)

• IT committee / Stuurgroep IT• Equal Opportunities and Diversity Working Group /

Werkgroep Gelijke Kansen en Diversiteit

Faculty Council/Faculteitsraad

Where does the Working Group fit in?

Faculty Board/Faculteitsbestuur

Research & Doctoral council/(ODC)

Teaching Cel / Onderwijscel

IT Committee / Stuurgroep IT

Equal opportunity and diversity /

(WGKD)

Permanente Onderwijs Commissie

Teaching Committee International Programme

Who are we?2 promoters: A. Dillen, M. LamberigtsABAP representatives: K. Schelkens, M. Moyaert, E. Nathan, J. Binon, J. Lambelin, N. Nonterah, A. Kirk2 ATP representatives: R. Dehaes, S. VannesteFaculty Board: J. LeemansFaculty contact person (Students): F. DepoortereWe have regular meetings (4 meetings in 2012-2013)

Who are we NOT?

Mission

The Working Group on Equal Opportunities and Diversity at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies seeks to actively contribute to realizing the goals of the university’s Diversity Policy, as formulated by the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Diversity of the KU Leuven (http://www.kuleuven.be/diversiteit/). The Working Group wishes to promote policy processes and regulations that guarantee equal opportunities in the academic realm, whether at the levels of research, teaching, academic service, or administration. The Working Group considers its role to be one of promoting awareness, stimulating initiatives and maintaining vigilance.

Online

Online

Broader University Framework Diversity Counsil 2012-2013

Leden College van BestuurKaren MaexLudo MelisTine Baelmans

Leden van Faculteitsbesturen en Centrale DienstenKatrien LagrouPatrick OnghenaYolande BerbersMieck Vos

Experten of ervaringsdeskundigenBart RaymaekersJohan LemanRuth Stokx (plaatsvervanger Johan Leman)Katlijn MalflietMaddy JanssensSam MichielsAnn Dewicke

Andere LedenAnya TopolskiSarah Bracke (plaatsvervanger Anya Topolski)Evelyn De Ruyck

Stafmedewerkers DiversiteitsbeleidHeidi MertensMarjan Van Aerschot

A glimpse of the inner dynamics of the Working Group

“To date, the initiatives taken by the Faculty regarding Equal Opportunities and Diversity have

been on a practical level. Our working group wants to extend this positive way of thinking to a more theoretical level. We want to reflect on diversity

theologically.

So we would like to set in motion a fascinating process of reflection, which is relevant and

challenging to everyone.”

What has been done? Lecture Series 2009-2010

Throughout the academic year of 2009-2010, in collaboration with several research units and research centres, six lectures/seminars were organised. Nicolaas Standaert (Leuven), Intercultural Contacts between China and Christianity, Interdisciplinary Centre for Religious Studies and World View, 11 December, 2009.Angela Berlis (Bern), Doing Theology, Doing Gender. Experiences in the Alma Mater and in Church Life, Research Unit History of Church and Theology, 4 February 2010.Jaqueline Kool (Utrecht), The Other = Like You. Thoughts on Disability, Theology and the Quest for Inclusion, Research Unit Pastoral Theology, 26 February 2010.Fernando Segovia (Vanderbilt), Biblical Interpretation since the 1970s through Today and Beyond: Diversifying Approaches, Critics and Traditions, Research unit Biblical Studies, 10 May 2010.Linda Hogan (Dublin), Gender and Culture as Dimensions of Bodiliness, Research Unit Theological Ethics, 12 May 2010.Esperanza Bautista Parejo (Madrid), Gender Equality in Faculties of Theology and at Work, Centre for Liberation Theologies and the Centre for Women’s Studies, 27 May 2010.

Reflection questions that emerged from the 2009-2010 lecture series

How can we as theologians retain our passion for our research? How can we as academic theologians, maintain our alliance with and service to developments in Church and society?In what way are we as theologians caught up in mechanisms of power and authority? How do Church historians perceive the role of women in the history of the Church? How can we critically analyse this particular historical debate?In what way does confidence in academic research and the concrete reality of the Faculty of Theology stand in relationship to each other? What mechanisms of academic clericalism (negative loyalty, obedience) are present in the faculty?Is it possible to sustain a diversity of theological perspectives, or is the “spectrum of thought” determined by the normative boundaries of theology? In what way is our theological speaking subconsiously ideological? Which perspectives are able to make our theology ‘fruitful’? How can we cultivate discussion that does not immediately run up against defence mechanisms (direct confrontation or diplomatic approach)?

Study Day, 27 April 2011 “How Diverse Can Diversity Be?” The Case of the Faculty of Theology, KU Leuven

10.00h Introduction by the Working Group on Equal Opportunities & Diversity [Annemie Dillen]

10.15h Introduction by the Vice-Rector for Diversity [Tine Baelmans]

10.30h

Presentations from the Faculty’s Research Units10.30h: History of Church and Theology [Els Agten & Anthony Dupont]10.45h: Theological Ethics [Yves De Maeseneer & Joseph Selling]11.00h: Pastoral Theology [Machteld Reynaert & Meaza Taddese]

11.15h Discussion with all participants11.30h Coffee Break

11.45

Presentations from the Faculty’s Research Units11.45h: Systematic Theology [Ravi Bosco & Kristien Justaert]12.00h: Interdisciplinary Centre for Religious Studies [Gregory Obanado & Stef Van den Branden]12.15h: Biblical Studies [Brian Doyle]

12.30 Discussion with all participants

12.45 Concluding remarks by the Working Group on Equal Opportunities & Diversity [Jacques Haers]

13.00h Lunch

14.30hPanel discussion with experts [Sarah Bracke, Susannah Cornwall, Jos Corveleyn, Annewieke Vroom, moderated by Mathijs Lamberigts]

16.00h Discussion with all participants

16.45h Closing Remarks by the Vice-Rector for Diversity [Tine Baelmans]

16.55h Concluding reflections by the Dean of the Faculty [Lieven Boeve]

2012-2013In searcH of new initiatives

geared toward fostering more engagement

Issues of Diversity & Equal Opportunities in…

(infra) structure of the Faculty

• Accessible faculty?• Issues related to gender• Combination work and

family life • Support for people with

a disability• Language issues• Diversity reflected in

ZAP?

Research At the faculty

• Tension between academic freedom of speech and the connection to the Catholic Church

• Diversity in research domains

• Is the diversity of the ‘outside world’ integrated in research (content and methods)

• How does your research interact with questions of diversity and equal opportunities?

TeachingAt the faculty

• Diversity in course subjects

• Methods in dealing with and making use of the potential of diversity in class

• Cultural diversity• Religious diversity• Issues of polarization • Issues of (theological)

normativity• Equal opportunities in

class?