Oregon State University To Incorporate Mindfulness Into The Curriculum Of Undergraduate Social Justice Courses

Incorporating mindfulness into the curriculum of undergraduate social justice courses will be the topic of Oregon State University’s Science Pub event at 6 p.m. Feb. 8.

The free event, which can be attended in person at the Old World Deli in Corvallis or viewed online, will feature a presentation by Kathryn McIntosh, an associate professor in Oregon State’s College of Education. The presentation is titled “Mindfulness in Social Justice Education: Critical Race Feminist Perspectives.”

McIntosh will discuss her research that connects mindfulness, social justice and critical race feminism. Critical race feminism hold that sources of knowledge extend to the body and spirituality, not just what is learned from a textbook. Mindfulness offers practices for connecting to the present moment through body, emotions, physical sensations and spirituality.

McIntosh is interested in how mindfulness helps students learn multiculturalism through the lens of critical race feminism. She will talk about her research with undergraduate students at Oregon State taking a social justice course. Those students provided weekly reflections, analytic memos, midterm evaluations and social action plans. McIntosh found that they were empowered to handle emotions activated by class activities and self-reflection that come with the work of social justice and liberation.

“This research could prompt curricular changes in undergraduate education and social justice courses to enhance wellbeing and promote social justice,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh wrote a book, published in 2022, about her research, titled “Mindfulness in Multicultural Education: Critical Race Feminist Perspectives.”

Registration is required to attend Science Pub in person or to view it online.

Sponsors of Science Pub include the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Old World Deli, Oregon State’s Research Office and Oregon State University.