Mission

The mission of the University of Texas at Austin's Center for the Study of Race and Democracy is to facilitate anti-racism research and programming dedicated to reshaping policies that lead to the end of racial inequality.

By supporting pedagogical and policy innovations of scholars, activists and experts working to eliminate systemic racism in educational, corporate, government, civic and cultural spaces, we aim to foster new ways of implementing racial justice initiatives dedicated to the achievement of a just, equitable, and inclusive society. 

CSRD contributes to the LBJ School’s mission of preparing policy, government, and thought leaders with the knowledge, critical thinking, and intellectual tools to have impact in an increasingly diverse local, regional, national, and global political, social, economic, and cultural milieu. Civil rights legislation remains a hallmark of President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s political and historical legacy, and the Center's focus on the intersection between race and democracy both highlights and extends this important legacy. CSRD promotes the school’s mission of increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion through both its research focus, public conferences, programs, and symposiums, and students (both undergraduate and graduate) who participate in the Fellows Program, take the conference course, and regularly attend our programs and contribute to the increasingly vibrant and diverse intellectual community we are focused on creating.