Skidmore Racial Justice Teaching Challenge
Committed to the belief that diversity, equity and inclusion work has to be embedded in the curriculum, the American Studies Department and Black Studies Program launched the Skidmore Racial Justice Teaching Challenge (RJTC) in conjunction with the third component of Skidmore’s Racial Justice Initiative. Using Black History Month as a takeoff point, the RJTC called on faculty members to devote a significant portion of the educational content in their courses to focusing on (a) the lives and experiences of Black folks in North America and/or the African diaspora, or (b) substantive engagement with issues of race and racism. This could be accomplished in different ways: introducing new topics, revising readings, inviting guest lecturers, etc. For some faculty, this meant setting aside time in February for personal reading and reflection regarding future curricular revisions. Over 60 faculty members have contributed 95 courses, and Institutional Research is shepherding a brief pre- and post-assessment that has garnered a response rate among students of over 40 percent.
Racial Justice Courses
Springs 2023
- AH 108: Ways of Looking: Imag(in)ing the Modern World, Katie Hauser, Art History (2 sections)
- AH 151: Ways of Seeing: Visual Cultures of the Americas, Kristi Peterson, Art History (2 sections)
- AH 251: Philosopher Kings: The Art & Culture of the Maya, Kristi Peterson, Art History
- AH 375: Outsiders? Folk & Self-Taught Artists in the United States, Nancy Thebaut, Art History
- AH 325: (De)colonizing the Museum: Addressing Systemic Racism and Promoting Social Justice, Saleema Waraich, Art History
- AM 101W: Growing Up in America, Tammy C. Owens, American Studies
- AM 221: Methods and Approaches, Tammy C. Owens, American Studies
- AM 235: Post-Apocalyptic Film and Literature, Beck Krefting, American Studies
- AM 261D: Gaming in American Society and Culture, Aaron Pedinotti, American Studies
- AM 351C: American Horror Fiction, Aaron Pedinotti, American Studies
- AM 356: Sports Cinema, Jeffrey Segrave, American Studies
- AM 368: The 1960s, Greg Pfitzer, American Studies
- AN 101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Joowon Park, Anthropology
- AN 227: Sub-Saharan Africa, Sonia Silva, Anthropology
- BI 247: Cell Biology, Jennifer Bonner, Biology and Neuroscience
- BST 205: Black Panther Archive, Winston Grady-Willis, Black Studies
- BST 375: Seminar in Black Studies, Winston Grady-Willis, Black Studies
- DS 251C: Past as Material, Angela Beallor-Press, MDOCS
- EC 284: American Power and Hyperglobalization: From Alexander Hamilton to Donald Trump, Joerg Bibow, Economics
- ED 213: The Exceptional Child, Laurie Rabinowitz, Education Studies
- EN 105: Food Fights, Caitlin Jorgensen, English
- EN 103: Writing Seminar I, Thad Niles, English
- EN 217: Film, Bob Boyers, English
- EN 228: Stealing Fictive Ideas, Greg Hrbek, English
- EN 229C: Introduction to Latinx Literature, Jamie Luis Parra, English
- EN 363: Political Novel, Bob Boyers, English
- ES 352: Radical Hope in Turbulent Times, Lowery Parker, Environmental Studies and Sciences
- GW 202: Lived Feminism, Gwen D’Arcangelis, Gender Studies
- HI 126: From Revolution to Civil War, Eric Morser, History
- HI 226P: African American History, Jennifer Delton, History
- ID 351C: Blackness and Nature, Malik Raymond, Black Studies
- ID 351C: Octavia Butler, Gabriella Friedman, Black Studies
- MP 277: Vocal Soul Collective, Floydd Ricketts, Music
- PH 222: Law, Property, (In)Humanity, Reg Lilly, Philosophy
- PY 215: Physics and Society, Evan Halstead, Physics
- RE 225: Religion and Ecology, Eliza Kent, Religious Studies
- RE 316: Organize!, Lucia Hulsether, Religious Studies
- SO 204W: Intro to Race, Class, Gender, Katherine Bullock, Sociology
- SO 219: Race and Power, Jennifer Mueller, Sociology
- SW 222: Introduction to Social Work, Kelly Gross, Social Work
- SW 334: Social Work Practice with Groups, Organizations, and Communities, Kelly Gross, Social Work
- SW 320: Service Learning for SW 334, Kelly Gross, Social Work
- TH 334: LGBTQ Voices on Stage, John Michael DiResta, Theater
- WLF 363: Francophone African Literatures, Aurélie Matheron, World Languages & Literatures
- ZANKEL MUSIC CENTER 2023-24 PROGRAM INITIATIVES, Zhenelle LeBel
Fall 2022
- AH 251C: Ritual, Politics, and Power: Mesoamerican Art and Culture, Kristi Peterson, Art History
- AH 267: The Costs of Things: Environmental, Human, and Personal, Saleema Waraich, Art History
- AH 351C: Modern Latin American Art: Issues and Topics, Kristi Peterson, Art History
- AH 375D: The Americas in European Consciousness: Deconstructing the Western Gaze, Kristi Peterson, Art History
- AM 101: Rise and Fall of the New Deal, Aaron Pedinotti, American Studies
- AM 101: Growing Up in America, Tammy Owens, American Studies
- AM 233: American Past in Film, Dan Nathan, American Studies
- AM 342: Black Feminist Thoughts, Tammy Owens, American Studies
- AM 351D: Black Girlhood Studies, Tammy Owens, American Studies
- AM 374: Senior Seminar, Beck Krefting, American Studies
- AN 101.002: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Nadia Marin-Guadarrama, Anthropology
- AN 101.003: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Joowon Park, Anthropology
- AN 351D: Anthropology of Childhoods, Nadia Marin-Guadarrama, Anthropology
- AN 232: Forensic Anthropology: Bones, Bodies, & Trauma, Kathryn Baustian, Anthropology
- AN 307W: Power and Violence, Joowon Park, Anthropology
- AR 338: Reimagining Representation, Lindsay Buchman, Art
- BI 352: Advanced Topics in Cell Biology, Focus on Cannabis, Jennifer Bonner, Biology and Neuroscience
- BST 101: Introduction to Black Studies, Winston Grady-Willis, Black Studies
- DA 230: Dance & Society I: Movement in History & Culture, Jason Ohlberg, Dance
- EC 103.003: Introduction to Macroeconomics, Marketa Wolfe, Economics
- EN 105.019: Literature of Witness, Hajar Hussaini, English
- EN 225W: Introduction to Shakespeare, Andrew Bozio, English
- EN 237: Postcolonial Literature, Hajar Hussaini, English
- ES 223: Environmental Justice, Lowery Parker, Environmental Studies
- ES 303: Politics of Food, Agriculture, and Social Justice, Lowery Parker, Environmental Studies
- GW 202: Lived Feminism, Bernabe Mendoza, Gender Studies
- GW 321: Feminist Science Studies, Gwen D’Arcangelis, Gender Studies
- HI 324R: Civil War and Reconstruction, Jennifer Delton, History
- ID 251C: Speculative Histories of Slavery and Colonialism, Gabriella Friedman, Black Studies
- ID 251C: Long Civil Rights Movement, Malik Raymond, Black Studies
- MU 345N: Sonic Cultures of the South Atlantic, Brian Barone, Music
- PH-221: Memory and Retrospective Justice, Larry Jorgensen, Philosophy
- PL 222: State and Local Politics, Bob Turner, Political Science
- PL 315: Immigraiton Politics and Policy, Bob Turner, Political Science
- PL 340: International Human Rights, Kate Graney, Political Science
- PL 367: Politics and Policy of Inequality, Bob Turner, Political Science
- RE 105: American Gods: Religious Diversity in the U.S., Xander Prince, Religious Studies
- RE 206: Religion and the Scientific Imagination, Lucia Hulsether, Religious Studies
- RE 216R: Asian Religions in the US, Eliza Kent, Religious Studies
- RE 230: The Christian Right
- RE 330: Goddesses and Other Powerful Women, Eliza Kent, Religious Studies
- SO 204W: Introduction to Race, Class, and Gender, Katherine Bullock, Sociology
- SO 219: Race and Power, Jennifer Mueller, Sociology
- SO 361S: Racial Identity, Theory and Praxis, Jennifer Mueller, Sociology, and Lisa Grady-Willis, Intergroup Relations
- SSP 100.011: The Dancing Brain, Sarah DiPasquale (collaborating with Wendy Anthony), FYE/Dance
- SSP 100.015: Theater and Climate Change, Lisa Jackson-Schebetta, Theater
- SSP 100-038 More Life: Queer Performance and the AIDS Epidemic, John Michael DiResta, Theater
- SW 253: Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Kelly Melekis, Social Work
- TH 103: Introduction to Theater, Ji Won Jeon, Theater
- TH 104: Introduction to Acting, Dennis Schebetta, Theater
- TH 334.001: Adaptation in Latinx and Latin American Theater, Lisa Jackson-Schebetta, Theater
- WLL 238: Out of Home/Place: Chinese American Experience and Writing in Diaspora, Mao Chen, World Languages and Literatures
- WLL 251: Contemporary German Cinema, Michael Swellander, World Languages and Literatures
- Staff Social Justice Support Group, Rosier Cade, Scribner Library
Fall 2021
- AH 251C Art, Power, & Diversity in Spanish America, Kristi Peterson, Art History
- AH 267: The Costs of Things: Environmental, Human, and Personal, Saleema Waraich, Art History
- AH 351D Empire of Ritual: The Art of the Aztec, Kristi Peterson, Art History
- AH 375: Orientalism, Saleema Waraich, Art History
- AM 101W: Growing up in America, Tammy Owens, AMST
- AM 101W: Rise and Fall of the New Deal, Aaron Pedinotti, AMST
- AM 234: American Sport/American Culture, Dan Nathan, American Studies
- AM 237: Americans in Outer Space, Greg Pfitzer, American Studies
- AM 264: African American Experience, Tammy Owens, AMST
- AM 351C: American Horror Fiction, Aaron Pedinotti, AMST
- AM 351D: Black Girlhood Studies, Tammy Owens, AMST
- AR 351K: Reimagining Representation, Lindsay Buchman, Art Department
- BST 101: Introduction to Black Studies, Winston Grady-Willis, Black Studies
- DA 101: Dance Experience, Hettie Barnhill, Dance
- DA 217B: Hip Hop and Urban Dance, Hettie Barnhill, Dance
- DA 230: Dance & Society I: Movement in History & Culture, Jason Ohlberg, Dance
- EC 103: Intro to Macroeconomics, sections 02 and 03, Patrick Reilly, Economics
- EC 103: Intro to Macroeconomics, section 001, Joerg Bibow, Economics
- EC 151: The Economics of COVID-19, team-taught by Joerg Bibow, Monica Das, Sandra Goff, Patrick Reilly, Rodrigo Schneider, Smriti Tiwari, Peter von Allmen, and Marketa Wolfe, Economics
- EC 235: Macroeconomic Theory, sections 01 and 02, Marketa Wolfe, Economics
- EC 237: Statistical Methods, Smriti Tiwari, Economics
- EC 283: The Economics of Health and Healthcare, Peter von Allmen, Economics
- EC 284 American Power and Hyperglobalization, Joerg Bibow, Economics
- ED 103: Introduction to Teaching, Ken Sider, Education Studies
- ED 115: School and Society, Hope Casto, Education Studies
- ED 231: Children’s Literature, Jessica Somerville-Braun, Education Studies
- ED 324: Education Policy, Politics, and Law in the U.S., Hope Casto, Education Studies
- ED 334: Curriculum and Instruction, Ken Sider, Education Studies
- EN 103: Writing Seminar I, Thad Niles, English
- EN 105 (Sections 17 & 18): Memoir of Marginalized People, Lori Soderlind, English (2 sections)
- EN 105: Food Fights, L. Caitlin Jorgensen, English
- EN 105 (section 8): The Color of Justice, Andrew Bozio, English
- EN 105 (section 07 and 09): Mean Girls: The Role of Unlikeable Female Characters, Jennifer Fawcett (2 sections)
- EN 105 (section 10): The Witch: Superstition, Stigma, and Sovereignty
- EN 105: Introduction to Writing: Writing as Radical Empathy, Olivia Dunn, English (2 sections)
- EN 110: Introduction to Literary Studies: Bodies of Literature, Susannah Mintz, English
- EN 110: Introduction to Literary Studies: Texts and Bodies, Paul Benzon, English
- EN 229W: Racial Capitalism on the Early Modern English Stage, Andrew Bozio, English
- EN 235: Writing Black/Writing Back, Mason Stokes, English
- EN 242: Disability in Contemporary America
- EN 280: Introduction to Nonfiction Writing, Susannah Mintz, English
- EN 316R: Nineteenth-Century British Novel, Catherine Golden, English
- EN 375: Senior Research Seminar: “Race and Nature,” Michael Steven Marx, English
- ES 222: Energy Systems and Sustainable Solutions, Karen Kellogg, Environmental Studies
- ES 223: Environmental Justice, Lowery Parker, Environmental Studies
- ES 303: Politics of Food, Agriculture, and Social Justice, Lowery Parker, Environmental Studies
- GW 321: Feminist Science Studies: Gender, Race, and Science, Gwen D’Arcangelis, Gender Studies
- HI 125: American Colonial History, Eric Morser, History
- HI 259: Communism/Anticommunism, Jennifer Delton, History
- HI 264: History of the American West, Eric Morser, History
- HI 316: Empires in India, Tillman Nechtman, History
- HI 327: Progressive Era, Jennifer Delton, History
- IA 351: Faces and Phases of Global Capitalism, Pushi Prasad, Management & Business
- IG/SO361S Racial Identities: Theory & Praxis, Lisa Grady-Willis, IGR, Jennifer Mueller, Sociology & IGR
- LI 201 Overdue Notice: Libraries & Social Justice, Marta Brunner & Wendy Anthony, Library
- MU 101: Rudiments of Music, Tom Johnson, Music
- MU 200: Thinking About Music, Charlotte D’Evelyn, Music
- MU 242: Materials and Structures of Music II, Tom Johnson, Music
- MU 344: 18th-Century Music and Ideas, Sarah Day-O’Connell, Music
- PH 101: Introduction to Philosophy, Susan Home, Philosophy
- PH 330D: Anger and Forgiveness, Larry Jorgensen, Philosophy
- PH 327: Marx and Marxisms
- PL 101: Introduction to American Politics, Beau Breslin, Political Science
- PL 101: Introduction to American Politics, Christopher Mann, Political Science
- PL 251A: Contemporary African Politics, Emmanuel Balogun, Political Science
- PL 251B: Hip Hop Politics and Protest, Emmanuel Balogun, Political Science
- PL 351: African-American Political Thought, Flagg Taylor, Political Science
- PL 357: Sexing Global Politics: Gender and International Relations, Kate Graney, Political Science
- PL 365: Property and Ownership, Feryaz Ocakli, Political Science
- PL 365: Rebellion and Revolution, Yelena Biberman-Ocakli, Political Science
- PL 366: International Organizations and Global Governance, Emmanuel Balogun, Political Science
- PL 367: Politics and Policy of Inequality, Bob Turner, Political Science
- PS 202 (section 005): Statistics and Research Methods 1, Becca Johnson, Psychology
- PS 205 (section 002): Social Psychology, Benjamin Ampel, Psychology
- PS 339: Psychology of Bodies and the Self, Jess Sullivan, Psychology
- RE 103: Understanding Religion, Eliza Kent, Religious Studies
- RE 105: American Gods: Religious Diversity in the U.S., Alexandra Prince, Religious Studies
- RE 215: Islam, Greg Spinner, Religious Studies
- RE 320: Yoga: History, Theory, Practice, Eliza Kent, Religious Studies
- RE 330 Religion, Sex, Citizenship; Lucia Hulsether, Religious Studies
- SO 203W: Femininities and Masculinities, Ruth Hernández-Ríos, Sociology
- SO 204W: Race, Class, and Gener, Ruth Hernández-Ríos, Sociology
- SO 219C Race and Power, Jennifer Mueller, Sociology & IGR
- SO 317R Black Female Body, Kristie Ford, Sociology
- SSP 100 (London): DNA Decoding the British Legacy, Jennifer Bonner, Biology and Neuroscience
- SSP 100: Sport, Self, and Society, Jeff Segrave, Health and Human Physiological Sciences
- SSP 100: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Painting, Paul Sattler, Art
- SSP 100: Global Migration and the Politics of Immigration, Matthew Hockenos, History
- SSP 100: Weird Books, Paul Benzon, English
- SSP 100: Outsiders? Folk and Self-Taught Artists in America, Nancy Thebaut, Art History
- SSP 100 Bodies and Identities, Jess Sullivan, Scribner/Psychology
- SSP 100 Education, Power, Social Justice, Lucia Hulsether
- SSP 100 Power, Identity, Justice, Gwen D’Arcangelis, Gender Studies
- SSP 100: Representations of the Holocaust, Bob Boyers, English
- SSP 100 Real Democracy, Bob Turner, Political Science
- SSP 100: Novels in the Grip of History, April Bernard, English
- SSP 100: Money Matters, Smriti Tiwari, Economics
- SSP 100: Hurricanes and Forest Fires, Christopher Mann, Political Science
- SW 212: Power, Privilege & Oppression, June Paul, Social Work
- SW253: Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Kelly Melekis, Social Work
- TH 103: Introduction to Theatre, Theatre, Lary Opitz
- TH 140: Introduction to Directing, Dennis Schebetta, Theater
- TH 230 Theater and Culture II, Eunice S. Ferreira, Theater
- TH 240: Intermediate Directing, John Michael DiResta, Theater
- TH 250: Production Seminar, Lisa Jackson-Schebetta, Theater
- TH 252: Production Seminar Bridge Experience, John Michael DiResta, Theater
- TH 334: Theater for Social Justice and Change, Eunice S. Ferreira, Theater
- TH 334: Theatre and Climate Change, Lisa Jackson-Schebetta, Theater
- WLF 317: French Narrative Prose: Writing Inequality in the Francophone 19th Century, Cate Talley, World Languages
- WLF 363: Francophone Visual Cultures, Aurélie Matheron, World Languages
Total Courses: 112