Overview of this Self-Paced Course

I have designed this class for people who want to participate in the difficult but necessary discussion of race and racism in the United States.

The material for this class is both challenging AND accessible. The readings come from interviews published in the New York Times between philosophers engaged in the study of racism. They were designed to reach the wider reading public, regardless of educational background. At the same time, the ideas raised throughout the interviews are deep enough to stimulate advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members, especially those seeking to expand their knowledge of this important subject.

Why am I teaching this course? As a white, straight, able-bodied, heterosexual man who was raised Catholic by middle-class parents, I've had to do a lot of work to recognize and challenge my privilege. This work became all the more intense when I became a university professor and discovered the need to address issues of race, racism, and cultural exclusion in my classes devoted to the theory and practice of theatre and performance. In the last five years, I have learned that many people lack a vocabulary with which to name, assess, and challenge the ongoing racial violence in the United States. I designed this class to help others build that vocabulary and to help myself continue the important work of self-reflection.

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

 Class Details

In this course, you will receive:

  • Access to 19 interviews conducted by philosopher George Yancy, PhD in the New York Times

  • 7 video lectures that help to unpack the big ideas in each interview and offer analytical tools for revealing the methods and critical maneuvers deployed by the philosophers

  • A thorough introduction to contemporary conversations about race and philosophy grounded in the work of many philosophers, many of whom are women and people of color

  • A solid primer in the concept and critique of Whiteness, which continues to underpin much of the racist behavior in the United States today

Student Workload:

  • Beyond the weekly readings, there are assignments intended to improve your creative and critical thinking skills. These assignments are OPTIONAL. It is possible to take this course without completing the assignments

  • The course was designed to span 8 weeks, but you can finish the course on your own schedule and in your own time

  • The class is ideal for people who have completed some undergraduate college coursework, but it is possible to engage with the material WITHOUT any formal training in higher education

  • This class is ideal for small groups of people looking to work together

Once you register for the course, I can add you to the Facebook group. There, students share information and discuss the ideas they encounter in the readings. I also hold weekly office hours via Skype for those who are interested. 

 

Course Registration: $50
*50% of each registration goes to Black Lives Matter

Please help us to spread the word about this course to those who might wish to take it. Thank you!!

Watch the Introductory video to learn about the content and scope of the class!