This seminar, open only to freshmen, will delve into the complexities of this thing we call diversity, to explore the rhetoric and the reality of diversity as it currently exists in America. We will do this by reading accounts of diversity as it happens— not just in the news but also in a variety of different media—and then learning how to discuss critically the central issues of diversity. The goal is not just to talk about diversity, but also to learn how to talk about diversity in ways that are both critical and constructive. Diversity is an extraordinarily sensitive issue, and too many people simple avoid the conversation to avoid the discomfort that might ensue. We won’t do that—we will talk directly about diversity, and also find a way to have that conversation in a way that avoids discomfort and resolves divisiveness.