A new message - It's not the apocalypse

The Electoral College has now confirmed Donald Trump as President-Elect of the U.S.A. That leaves both those who supported his run and those who opposed him with the question of what to do now? The apocalyptic predictions of increased overt acts of hostility based on race, sex, sexual orientation, immigration status, and other identities in higher education were a concern for many faculty, staff, and students. And, there have been disturbing reports that hostility has increased which could make the U.S.A. in general and higher education in specific a place where internationalization of any type (i.e. study abroad, international students studying in the U.S.A., curriculum integration) is at risk.

In a period of history where social media is so pervasive and where "news" reports often make it difficult to figure out who to believe, one stance educators could take is to renormalize the way we think about and portray each other's actions. The #WeAreInternational movement begun by students in the post-Brexit aftermath is a great example of renormalization.

David Haney writes in "An Unhealthy Bubble" that apocalyptic predictions contributed to the negative environment and now educators need to move on. He says, "we need to provide a diverse and inclusive environment that challenges students both to get out of their filter bubbles and to recognize the violence implicit in living inside a bubble." He also suggests that the opportunity going forward is for citizens and educators to recognize that "...peace is achieved not through the voter's assertion of the priority of individual choice, but rather by acknowledging the infinity of the other person -- someone who has an existence we should respect beyond the categories we are tempted to impose."