RCGD Fall Seminar Series: The Social Pyschology of Systemic Racism (Tabbye Chavous)

Dec. 2, 2024, Tabbye Chavous (University of Michigan)

Campus racial climate as a manifestation and measure of systemic racism: Implications for research and institutional practice



This talk will be responsive to current DEI matters across the campus and nationally.
Dr. Tabbye M. Chavous is a professor of education and psychology at the University of Michigan (U-M) and Vice Provost for Equity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer. Dr. Chavous’ research examines identity and motivation processes among Black secondary and postsecondary students, and impacts of diversity climates in secondary and higher education settings. This work includes a focus on contextual- and individual-level factors influencing STEMM identity development among racially minoritized students and implications for academic persistence. Dr. Chavous’ scholarship has been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Spencer Foundation, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Chavous also served as co-director of the Center for the Study of Black Youth in Context, supporting research and training of students, postdocs, and early career scholars around the positive development of diverse Black youth and families.

Dr. Chavous has held leadership roles at department, college, and central administration levels over her 25 years at U-M. Currently as Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer, she leads the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), working on policies and initiatives for faculty, students, and staff in collaboration with campus units, and local community and national partners. She works directly with the Provost in academic affairs, including faculty recruitment and retention, tenure and promotion, and faculty development. As Chief Diversity Officer, she serves as a Presidential adviser on DEI issues, including oversight and implementation of U-M’s DEI Strategic Plan.

The RCGD Seminar Series on the Social Psychology of Systemic Racism meets Mondays from 3:30 to 5 at ISR Thompson 1430. When speaker permission is given, events will be recorded and posted within a few weeks to YouTube.

About this series:
The Social Psychology of Systemic Racism
What are the points of connection between structures and individuals when we think about bias? In the Fall 2024 RCGD Seminar Series “The Social Psychology of Systemic Racism,” an all-star lineup of behavioral and political psychologists will define what, in their words, makes systemic racism systemic, and how extra-individual levels of analysis could be incorporated in social psychological theories and methods.

Group Dynamics Seminar Series
The Group Dynamics Seminar series is considered one of the longest running seminar series in the social sciences. It has been running uninterruptedly since it was founded by Kurt Lewin in the 1920’s in Berlin. The seminar series runs every semester on a theme chosen by faculty organizer/s who are affiliated with the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Institute for Social Research. A very important feature of this seminar today is its interdisciplinary nature. Recent themes have included political polarization, evolution and human behavior, and cultural psychology