Center for Social Innovation

Faculty: Debra Meyerson

This course is designed to help students understand and manage human systems, exercise leadership, and work effectively with other people, specifically within the context of culturally diverse groups and organizations. The underlying premise is that diversity can present unique challenges and opportunities. The class addresses two primary questions: (1) What obstacles persist in organizations and groups that prevent people from participating fully, working effectively, and developing relationships and alliances in the context of diversity? (2) How can individuals create conditions that enable differences to be used as a resource for learning within groups and organizations?

The course is experiential; students should be prepared to experiment with various conceptual and analytical skills inside and outside of the classroom, including working within a small group. While the course focuses on dynamics of race, gender, and sexual orientation, there will be opportunities to explore a variety of other dimensions of identity and difference in organizations, such as nationality, class, and religion.

This elective course is offered to all Stanford GSB and Sloan students. Current students, please check MyGSB for more information.