Topics in African-American Studies (380-0-21)

Topic

Studies in African American Philosophy: Charles Mi

Instructors

Corey Barnes

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-435: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

African American Philosophy can be understood as philosophical engagement with African American experiences. And since African Americans (and thus their experiences) are a Western people, African American Philosophy is often theorized as, even if contentiously, engaged with Western philosophical traditions and methodologies. African American Philosophy thereby tends to apply Western traditions and methodologies to issues such as slavery, integration/self-segregation, assimilation/separatism, reparations, collective identity and efficacy, intersectionality, etc., and concepts such as respect, alienation, oppression, citizenship, forgiveness, art, progress, etc. as they are either conceptualized or reimagined through African American experiences. This course introduces students to African American Philosophy, but centers the work of one of the great pioneers of African American Philosophy—namely, Charles W. Mills. And so students will engage many issues and concepts pertinent to African American Philosophy by looking deeply into Mills' philosophical corpus.