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FutureLearn

U.S. Anti-Black Racism

University of Connecticut via FutureLearn

This course may be unavailable.

Overview

Study the roots of systemic and institutional racism in America

This course will develop your understanding of anti-Blackness and anti-Black racism in America.

You’ll trace the global history of racism and learn about the Black-White binary that exists in our world today.

Uncover the origins of structural racism in America

Issues of police brutality and their unjust murders of Black American civilians sparked a wave of protests in the Summer of 2020 calling attention to the devaluation of Black lives in America and around the world. This institutional racism in America can be traced back hundreds of years.

On this course, you’ll learn how racial prejudice is structurally, institutionally, and systemically rooted in American society.

Learn how anti-Blackness is foundational to American society

The US is unique in that anti-Blackness was foundational in the creation and setup of the country.

You’ll consider the ways racism was built into the structure of America and learn how race, racism, and anti-Black racism are conceptually connected to one another.

Explore the racialization of space and Black-White binary

Using the course material as well as personal experiences, you’ll consider how Black Americans are exposed to and affected by systemic anti-Black racism.

You’ll also study how racism continues to manifest itself organizationally in different institutions.

Study racism with leading author and scholar, Dr David Embrick

The course is led and delivered by Dr. David Embrick from the University of Connecticut. You’ll benefit from Embrick’s 20 years of teaching experience, as you explore the social construction of race and systemic racism from an academic standpoint.

Dr Embrick’s research centers on racism theories, whiteness, diversity ideologies, racial microaggressions, racial attitudes, and the racialization of place and space.

This course is designed for anyone interested in gaining a foundation in anti-Black racism.

It will enable you to develop a broader understanding of the global history of racism and the Black-white binary that exists.

This is the first course in a series of two, the second being Black Agency: Resistance and Resilience.

This two course series was developed collaboratively by Dr. Sharde Davis and Dr. David Embrick. Each faculty educator brings their expertise and areas of focus to both courses, supporting one another in course development and content delivery. The primary course objective is to expose learners to foundational research and concepts related to Black history, Black consciousness and Black resistance while developing learners’ understanding and potential capacity for disrupting anti-Black racism.

Syllabus

  • The social construction of race
    • Welcome to the course
    • Introduction to Week 1
    • Introduction to U.S. anti-Black racism
    • Slavery in the U.S.
    • What is race? The social and legal construction of race
    • Summary
  • Anti-Black racism, systemic racism and white privilege
    • What is racism?
    • Introduction to Week 2
    • Roadmap for Week 2
    • Conceptualizing Racism
    • Old Jim Crow vs New Racism
    • Anti-Black racism, systemic racism, and racialized social systems
    • White privilege
    • Summary
  • Institutional racism and racialized organizations
    • What is institutionalized racism?
    • Introduction to Week 3
    • Institutional racism
    • Racialized organizations
    • Implicit bias
    • Health implications of racism
    • Summary

Taught by

Dr. David G. Embrick

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4.2 rating at FutureLearn based on 54 ratings

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