Diversity & Inclusion

Yucatán, Mexico

Read and sign our commitment and action plan report on anti-racism and Black lives.

 

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At MIT GOV/LAB, we conduct rigorous, engaged research to improve the relationship between citizens and governments. For our work to be useful and relevant, it must not only contribute to scholarly knowledge but also to the lives of the people we work with and study. To achieve these objectives, we believe a commitment to diversity and inclusion is necessary.

Together with our partners around the globe, we address complex governance challenges by building research collaborations where diverse opinions and perspectives are heard, valued, and considered. To ask and answer the really difficult questions – questions that matter, questions that lead to common ground – we cannot only listen to voices like our own. It is only through including and negotiating differences that we can develop innovative solutions and new insights.

We engage our partners at each stage of the research design and development process and to give them a voice in setting the research agenda. This iterative and inclusive process allows us to draw on a range of experiences to help people engage better with their governments and to make governments more accountable to their citizens.

MIT GOV/LAB seeks to embody the values of open mindedness, mutual respect, and collaboration that we want to create through our research. We commit to supporting the physical and emotional well-being of every member of the MIT GOV/LAB community. We support the professional development of local researchers and help our partners to communicate how their work makes a difference. We participate in MIT’s Summer Research Program, the Institute’s Committee on Race and Diversity, and a variety of other initiatives to contribute to diversity and inclusion on campus.

It is often hard work to embrace difference. But we believe in open-minded curiosity. We believe in being good listeners. And we believe in questioning ourselves and our own assumptions. Building a culture of diversity and inclusion is vital to our mission to produce rigorous, impactful research to bridge the gap between citizens and government. A commitment to diversity and inclusion – like improving civic engagement and government responsiveness – is an ongoing process. But we believe that this hard work is worth it.

Learn more about the development of GOV/LAB’s Diversity and Inclusion statement here.