Ethnic Studies: Centering Black History & Critical Pedagogy

Course Introduction & Centering Black Experiences

  • The instructor's personal K-12 schooling experience was traumatic and abusive due to a lack of comprehensive Black history education, often reducing it to only enslavement or the Civil Rights Movement.

  • This course, while falling under "Ethnic Studies," will specifically focus on Black history and the experiences of Black individuals.

  • The primary subject matter, Black folks, will be centered in all discussions and content.

  • For Non-Black Students: When moments require addressing Black individuals directly, non-Black students are encouraged to view this as a unique opportunity to "witness an in-house conversation" and not feel offended or excluded. It's a chance to observe a dialogue vital for the mental well-being and learning of Black students.

Understanding "Whiteness" and its Social Construct

  • Mental Well-being for Success: A critical element for success in this course is the ability to separate the abstract concept of "whiteness" (the system) from "people who occupy white lives" (individuals).

  • Racial Categories as Social Constructs: All racial categories are social constructs, meaning they are not inherently biological but are created and maintained by society.

  • Myopic Definition of Whiteness: The historical interpretation of whiteness has been narrow or "myopic," traditionally defined by characteristics such as being male, rich, land-owning, Christian, and heteronormative.

  • "Whiteness" as the Problem: The instructor asserts that "whiteness" (as a societal system or ideology) is the fundamental problem in America, rather than "white people" as individuals. This distinction is crucial.

  • Implications for White Individuals: White women, for example, might find their experiences "tainted" or not fully represented by the dominant, narrow definition of whiteness. For individuals who identify as white, separating from the concept of "whiteness" is presented as essential for their personal well-being and successful engagement with the course material.

Critical Terminology and Language Usage

  • Avoid "Slaves": The course will strictly not use the term "slaves" to refer to African-descended people.

    • Rationale: No one is born a slave; people were kidnapped, forced into the condition of enslavement, and compelled to work.

    • Referring to them as "slaves" reduces their entire humanity, experience, and identity (e.g., philosophers, scientists, doctors, mothers, fathers, children) to merely their labor output or productive capacity.

    • Preferred Terms: More accurate terms that describe their circumstance, such as "enslaved people" or "captured people," will be used.

  • Avoid "Minority": The term "minority" will not be used to describe racialized or marginalized groups.

    • Critique: There is "nothing minor" about the experiences of these groups, and using the term diminishes their struggles and identities.

    • Examples of "So-Called Minority Groups" Cited: Stags (unspecified, likely a mishearing or specific reference), LGBT folks, Asians, Indians (likely American Indian/Indigenous), Africans.

    • Preferred Terms: "Minoritized groups," "marginalized groups," or "racialized groups" are more precise and reflective of systemic power imbalances.

  • "People of Color" (POC) Critique & Preference for Specificity: The term "people of color" is questioned for its vagueness ("What the fuck is that? Where is a brown person? What's a yellow person?").

    • "Black": The instructor personally accepts "Black" because of a historical movement to reclaim and empower the term.

    • Importance of Naming: Students are encouraged to use specific names (e.g., "African," "Asian," "Latino") rather than broad, generic terms.

      • Power in Names: To name is to empower; to refuse to name or to assign an arbitrary nickname is to strip away power.

      • Intellectual Labor: Insisting on correct pronunciation of names (e.g., "Avery Manzili" versus difficulty with "Plato" or "Socrates") demonstrates respect and an unwillingness to shirk intellectual effort.

Course Philosophy and Pedagogical Approach

  • Reading and Critical Thinking Expectations: The course demands significant reading and discussion. Students unwilling to engage in this extensive reading are advised to consider other classes.

  • Core Objectives: The instructor aims to foster international curiosity, expand critical thinking, and examine the systemic flaws within society.

  • Institutional Disparity in Africana Studies: The instructor highlights a significant academic disparity at UCR (University of California, Riverside) regarding Africana Studies, noting that the institution does not grant the discipline "just due."

    • Evidence: A major in Africana Studies has only taken one class, and the department lacks fundamental resources like dedicated Teaching Assistants (TAs) steeped in the discipline, unlike other fields (e.g., Philosophy).

    • The instructor feels compelled to ensure students understand the discipline's true nature given this institutional neglect.

  • Course as a Corrective to "Westernized Schooling": This course is intentionally designed to be a "corrective to the harmful practices of westernized schooling." It aims to subvert and counter normative schooling practices seen in most Western institutions.

  • **Distinction Between "Schooling" and "Education" (Based on Madame Jamasuja/Shudra & W.E.B. Du Bois):

    • Schooling (Madame Jamasuja): Defined as "the process intended to perpetuate and maintain the society's existing power relations and the institutional structures that support those arrangements." It functions to create individuals (workers) who maintain the current capitalist structure, where some "have" (e.g., Tim Cook) and others labor to "have not" or merely sustain a lifestyle (e.g., the professor's past role at Apple).

    • Education (Shudra & W.E.B. Du Bois): Defined as "the process of transmitting from one generation to the next, knowledge of the values, aesthetic, spiritual beliefs, and all things that give particular core cultural orientation its uniqueness." W.E.B. Du Bois further asserts that education is "a drawing out of human power." The instructor equates this with understanding one's inherent "divinity" and innate goodness, rather than being trained solely to enrich others.

  • Course's Educational Aim: This specific course is structured to facilitate education by drawing out human power, not merely schooling students for a job.

    • This pedagogical approach may challenge conventional classroom expectations, potentially creating moments of tension or discomfort.

    • Students are encouraged to remain open to this process to fully engage their "untapped human power."

    • The instructor is deeply invested in students' holistic "education" and development as "full actual human beings," not just their performance as "students."

Practical Course Information

  • Communication is Key: While official accommodation letters are acknowledged, direct communication with the instructor is paramount for receiving appropriate and timely support and accommodation.

  • Readings: All required readings are provided in PDF format on Canvas. Students have the option to secure physical copies but are not required to purchase books.

  • Course Flexibility: Verbal information and announcements made in class by the instructor supersede any information on Canvas or in the syllabus. Students are responsible for attending class to stay informed about potential changes.

  • Assignments: The course features a manageable number of assignments, but it involves "a lot of reading."