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Glossary of Terms

Anti-Racism "an active way of seeing and being in the world, in order to transform it. Because racism occurs at all levels and spheres of society (and can function to produce and maintain exclusionary "levels" and "spheres"), Anti-Racism education/activism is necessary in all aspects of society. In other words, it does not happen exclusively in the workplace, in the classroom, or in selected aspects of our lives." 

Reference: Anti-racism defined. Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://web.archive.org/web/20201101022553/http://www.aclrc.com/antiracism-defined

Equity is concerned with justice and fairness. Equity is a state of being, a process, and a condition that is rooted in fundamental human rights, and, therefore, is not reliant on individual choice or voluntarism. Whereas equality may lead to an assumption of an even playing field, and may shape individual and institutional efforts to treat people the same, equity requires more; it is about understanding and accommodating difference and providing people with what they need to enter and thrive within the academy. Equity requires proactively identifying and combatting discriminatory ideas, attitudes, behaviours, as well as systems, policies, processes, and practices that lead to disadvantage. It is concerned with a legal and ethical commitment to doing what is right and necessary to achieve such a state through proactive measures to identify root causes, and design interventions to remove obstacles to fair opportunities and experiences in all spheres of academic life.

Reference: Federation for the Humanities and Social Science (2021). Igniting Change: Final Report and Recommendations, p 120.

Inclusion is a skillset and a condition that must be cultivated and that require resources to advance an equitable and fairer academy. Inclusion entails interconnected actions to dismantle barriers that impede participation, engagement, representation, and empowerment of members of diverse social identities and from various backgrounds in the life of the academy. Inclusion means that we design our educational and cultural spaces from the beginning so that they can be used fully by all peoples and all communities. Inclusion foregrounds the social and institutional relations of power and privilege, drawing necessary attention to who gets a seat and voice at the decision-making tables, and who is empowered by institutional processes, policies, systems, and structures.

Reference: Federation for the Humanities and Social Science (2021). Igniting Change: Final Report and Recommendations, p 121.

Diversity refers to a wide range of qualities and attributes within a person, group or community. When we celebrate diversity, communities and workplaces become richer as they draw upon the variety of experiences, perspectives and skills that people can contribute (Equity and Inclusion Lens Handbook, City of Ottawa, p. 12). These include but are not limited to gender identity, gender expression, race, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, language, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, disability, and socio-economic status.

Reference: Equity and Inclusion Lens Handbook, City of Ottawa, https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/ei_lens_hb_en.pdf, p. 12.