More on the SSHRC's "diversity" initiative

Philosopher Jason Bell (New Brunswick) writes:

I appreciate your note about SSHRC.

I am a philosopher on SSHRC review committees.

I am worried that this new scoring component will discriminate against philosophers who examine non-diverse essences (questions in pure logic; the greater is greater than the lesser for all people, etc). It will favor social sciences in which particular communities are examined. Diverse questions are certainly important, but it is also important to figure out what we share in common.

SSHRC has done valuable work in promoting philosophical research. This new requirement will make this more difficult, in my opinion.

Readers concerned about this might write to some of the key scholars on the SSHRC executive committee --perhaps the chair, the president, and one philosophy professor.  Names and addresses below the fold:

Martha Crago Chair of the SSHRC Executive Committee

[email protected]

Frédéric Bouchard, Member of the SSHRC Executive Committee, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Full Professor in the Philosophy Department at the Université de Montréal

[email protected]

Ted Hewitt SSHRC President

[email protected]