Attention to Diversity in Spanish Universities by institutional leaders´s discourses

Abstract

Most Spanish universities are in an advanced-initial phase of implementing policies for Attention to Diversity (AD), as part of their social responsibility. In this way, the specific practices of AD are based on ethical and/or political assumptions, a fact that is still under-explored. This work is part of a R+D+I project that involves eight Spanish universities. The first phase of the project consists of an analysis of the discourses of the institutional leaders, among other university agents. We wanted to approach the pragmatic uses of “diversity” made by different types of leaders responsible for AD. Specifically, we have conducted 24 interviews. Through these discourses we wanted to analyze the grammar of educational justice on which “difference” is constructed and attended in university. One of our main conclusions is related to the identification of a certain semantic shift in the discourses of AD within the university with regard to issues of power, conflict and social justice. Furthermore, it presupposes and integrates them into predominantly pedagogical-functionalist keys.