Brokering dialogue in the midst of a culture war

Campuses are among the most high-profile battlefields in America’s culture wars. This makes questions of identity much more than just an academic interest for communication scholars like Srividya Ramasubramanian. Navigating diversity—whether in research, teaching, administration, or activism—is both a minefield and a calling. Ramasubramanian is a media scholar specializing in identity, media literacy, stereotyping processes, intercultural/intergroup communication, and social justice. She serves as director of the Difficult Dialogs on Campus Race Relations, and convener of the campus-wide Inclusive Pedagogy Workshop Series. She has also served as the Associate Dean for Climate and Inclusion. The India-born scholar talked to Media Asia editor Cherian George about the risks and rewards of engaging with issues of social justice in a polarized campus environment.