Black Political Thought
Here you will find all materials made available for the class
Overview
Persons at the bottom of the well, at the other end of the lash/barrel of the gun, who have been subject to diverse forms of domination, exploitation, and human rights abuses have much to teach us about dignity and democracy, peace and conflict, struggle and solidarity. They also have insights to share about the gap between the Enlightenment ideals of freedom, equality, and fraternity and the lived experiences of the colonized, enslaved, and segregated, and on how to pursue radical social and political transformation where injustice, discrimination, and despair remain features of everyday life.
This course will expose students to thinkers such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Claudia Jones, Martin Luther King, Jr., Imari Obadele, and Angela Davis, who provide distinct, contested, and complex diagnoses about the problems of blacks in American and throughout the African Diaspora, as well as prognoses for how they can be overcome.
The student of this course will develop a deep historical understanding of what has been articulated before but also will cultivate what constitutes “the new black agenda” for the current period.
This course will expose students to thinkers such as W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Claudia Jones, Martin Luther King, Jr., Imari Obadele, and Angela Davis, who provide distinct, contested, and complex diagnoses about the problems of blacks in American and throughout the African Diaspora, as well as prognoses for how they can be overcome.
The student of this course will develop a deep historical understanding of what has been articulated before but also will cultivate what constitutes “the new black agenda” for the current period.
Professors
Christian Davenport is a Professor of Political Science and Faculty Associate at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo and Elected Fellow at the American Association for the Arts and Sciences. Primary research interests include political conflict/violence, measurement, racism and popular culture. He is the author of seven books: The Peace Continuum: What it is and How you study it with Erik Melander and Patrick Regan (2018, Oxford University Press) being the most recent. One book has just been submitted for review: Disturbing Spells: Government Repressive Campaigns and What Can Be Done To Stop Them (with Benjamin Appel), the first issue of his graphic novel RW-94: Reflections on Rwanda (with Darick Ritter) has just been released and others books are on the way. Prof. Davenport is the author of numerous articles and recipient of numerous grants and awards. For more information, please refer to the following webpage: www.christiandavenport.com.
Prof. Derrick Darby, who works in social and political philosophy, is the author of Rights, Race, and Recognition (Cambridge), and the coeditor with Tommie Shelby of Hip Hop and Philosophy: Rhyme 2 Reason (Open Court). His recent scholarship combines empirical, historical, and legal research with philosophical analysis to produce insights about race, racial injustice, and racial inequality. His work has been supported by the Spencer Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies. His newest book with John L. Rury, The Color of Mind: Why the Origins of the Achievement Gap Matter for Justice (Chicago), argues that American schools contribute to the racial achievement gap in ways that demean the dignity of black students. His recent law review article with Richard E. Levy, Postracial Remedies, argues for a principled pragmatic approach to addressing racial inequality by pursuing non-race-specific legal remedies. In his 2016 TEDx talk, Darby argues that doing philosophy can create opportunity for ordinary people to do extraordinary things. For more information about his research, read the interview with 3:AM Magazine.
Syllabus
Required Readings
- W. E. B. Du Bois, Darkwater: Voices From Within the Veil (Mineola: Dover, 1999)
- Marcus Garvey, Message to the People: The Course of African Philosophy (Dover: Majority Press, 1919).
- Claudia Jones, Beyond Containment, ed. Carole Boyce Davies (Oxford: Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited, 2011)
- Martin Luther King, Jr., Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? (Boston: Beacon Press, 2010)
- Imari Obadele, [made available by Professors]
- War in America: The Malcolm X Doctrine (Detroit: Malcolm X Society, 1968)
- Foundations of the Black Nation (Detroit: House of Songhay, 1975)
- Angela Davis, The Meaning of Freedom and Other Difficult Dialogues (San Francisco: City Lights, 2012)
Prompt for Final Paper
Prompt: For the final paper, you are being asked to develop your “New Black Agenda”. This involves your diagnosis, means and desired utopia. In answering this question, undergraduate students will be asked to reference at least 2 authors in support of their positions (at least one from the first three readings and at least one from the last three readings) whereas graduate students will be asked to reference at least 4 authors in support of their positions (at least two from the first three readings and at least two from the last three readings). Authors and readings are restricted to those that were covered in the course.
Format: 10-14 pages (double-spaced, 12 pt font, not including cover page, footnotes, references, tables or figures).
Due date: Tuesday 12/10 at 2pm; Paper must be sent by email in Word to both professors by the deadline.
Format: 10-14 pages (double-spaced, 12 pt font, not including cover page, footnotes, references, tables or figures).
Due date: Tuesday 12/10 at 2pm; Paper must be sent by email in Word to both professors by the deadline.
Special Readings Not Otherwise Available
Office Hours
Profs will hold joint office hours Tuesday, 10-12; Location: 2303 MH