• Intergroup Dialogue
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People

Jaclyn Rodríguez

Professor of Psychology
Director, Intergroup Dialogue Program

Background
Dr. Rodriguez is a social psychologist with a specialty in intergroup relations. She teaches a variety of courses including Introductory Psychology, Social Psychology, Intergroup Relations & Dialogue, Chicanas and Chicanos in U.S. Society, Self and Identity, the Socio-politics of Race, and Visions of Love and Community.

In 2002 she introduced the Intergroup Dialogue Program, a course sequence that emphasizes social identity dynamics and implications, constructive management of social conflict, and political attitudes about similarity as well as difference and coalition building. These courses link her teaching, mentoring, and research interests in intergroup relations. Experiential learning pedagogy and peer facilitator training are also key features of Dialogue. In 2011 she expanded the opportunities associated with IDP to include short, specialized workshops based on campus needs through the Desirably Difficult Dialogues program.

Research interests currently focus on the impact of interactional diversity on students’ intergroup awareness, knowledge, and skills. She is particularly interested in the intellectual soundness of “color-blind” and “color-conscious” approaches to intergroup relations. Her current projects emphasize “Identity Engagement” and explore the impact of deliberate attention to racial identity on intergroup attitudes and behavior. Students interested in exploring questions related to these issues should contact Professor Rodríguez for research opportunities.

Dr. Rodriguez, an aluma of the College, has been teaching at Occidental since 1984.

Education
A.B. Occidental College
M.A., Ph.D. University of Michigan

 

Kenjus Watson

Assistant Director, Intergroup Dialogue Program

Background
Professor Watson is the Assistant Director of the Intergroup Dialogue Program (IGD) and teaches courses on intergroup relations in the department of Psychology.

An Occidental alum, he has been involved with IGD since 2004 when he first worked as an undergraduate peer facilitator in a Race and Ethnicity course. After Occidental, he went on to earn his Masters of Education from The Pennsylvania State University.

Over the years, he has utilized the training he received from Dr. Rodriguez to establish Intergroup Dialogue Programs at Penn State and St. Louis University. While at Penn State, Professor Watson created the Ubuntu Intergroup Dialogue Program which featured dialogue courses on Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Black masculinity. In 2009, he became the Assistant Director of the Cross Cultural Center at St. Louis University, where he collaborated with the African American Studies department to establish an Intergroup Dialogue Program.  Professor Watson has also trained administrators and faculty from numerous colleges and universities as facilitators in conjunction with his work at the University of Michigan Intergroup Dialogue Summer Institute. He happily returned to Occidental in 2010 to assist Dr. Rodriguez in coordinating the Program in which he was initially trained.

At Occidental, Professor Watson recruits students into dialogue courses, trains and coaches peer facilitators, and teaches several courses in the program.

His research interests currently focus on Critical Race Theory, Transformational Resistance, and the potential of Critical Pedagogy and Dialogue to inspire social justice action and advocacy.

Education
B.A. Occidental College
M.Ed. The Pennsylvania State University