PHIL 274.001 – Race, Racism, and Social Justice: African-American Political Philosophy

Instructor: DeeAnn Spicer. This course meets TR 8:00 – 9:15 a.m. via remote synchronous (RS) instruction.

This course will aim to introduce students to some of the main issues in African American political philosophy.  To do so we will examine historical and contemporary texts that have sought to answer important political questions about being Black in the U.S. We will begin by examining some foundational concepts that will come to bear on our discussions such as the nature of race, racial solidarity, and racism. We will then investigate particular contemporary political questions such as: Should Black Americans be paid reparations? What is the role of protests and riots in fighting oppression? and Can Hip Hop be a form of resistance? We will also examine mass incarceration in the U.S., how issues of gender intersect with race, and ways that race affects political speech. By engaging with these topics from a philosophical perspective we will also develop our skills in recognizing and analyzing arguments and critically reflecting on and discussing these issues.