‘Check your bus’: Approaching Multiculturalism Through Depth Education

Abstract

This article explores the concept of Depth Education as a means to engage with multiculturalism in higher education. Drawing from a graduate-level course at the University of British Columbia, the authors discuss how Depth Education contrasts with traditional mastery-based education by emphasizing diagnostic approaches over prescriptive solutions. The course aimed to develop educators' capacities to handle complex cultural and historical issues related to multiculturalism, race relations, equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization. Using embodied exercises, self-reflection, and guided discussions, participants navigated the intricacies of multiculturalism within the Canadian context. The article critiques the limitations of multiculturalism as it is traditionally understood in Canada, highlighting its role in perpetuating colonial narratives and systemic racism. Through various pedagogical activities, including Systems Theatre and Radical Tenderness, students developed psycho-affective stamina to hold space for discomfort and complexity. The authors argue that Depth Education offers a responsible and sustainable approach to address the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous nature of contemporary social issues.