Understanding White Supremacy

(A Racial Justice Cohort)

Summer Course 2020

Pamela and John Selders – Instructors/Facilitators

Email:  Pamela Selders: pmselders@gmail.com John Selders: jerjon1963@gmail.com

Course will begin with first session on Monday, June 15th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  Classes will be on Monday evening throughtout the duration of the course.

Course Donation: $200.00 (Our normal course donation is $300.00. However, due to Covid-19 we have reduced course donation. And as usual we will work with your ability to pay. Please do not let money be the cause for not applying.)

Place: Virtual Webinar

Below is a link to course application.  If you are interested in participating, please click on link and submit completed form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUaGyPPcqdfR_J9YLh7mLTnTG7ZIG_44YaXyyg3XD-TtfEcg/viewform?usp=pp_url

More Information

“Racism in the United States has never been just about abuse and black and brown people just for the sake of doing so. It has always been a means by which the most powerful white men in the country have justified their, made their money, and kept the rest of us at bay. To that and, races, capitalism, and classroom have always been tangled together in such a way that it is impossible to imagine one without the other.” ~ Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation, 2016

Course Description: White Supremacy/ white racism is a significant issue facing us in the United States. While some might suggest that progress has been made in addressing systemic white racism, the United States remains a nation deeply divided along racial fault lines, and “race” continues to matter tremendously in structuring society, distributing resources, and shaping identities.  Who we are, where we live, who our friends are, where we work, where we play have lots to do with race, racial segregation and the historical contexts.

This course will examine the concept of “race” from sociocultural and socio-spiritual perspectives. The course takes the position that “race,” like gender, class and sexuality, is socially constructed and applies these perspectives to the analysis of white supremacy in the United States. We will also take a look at how our understandings of “race” intersect with our understandings of and commitments to ethics, morality and justice informed largely from our faith based organizing roots.  We also will examine our own individual and group understandings and beliefs, ideas and racial identities that make up the patterns of our lives.

We will focus on the histories, theories, and practices through which “race” has been and is constructed. Our method of analysis is historical, comparative, interdisciplinary, metaphysical and spiritual thus affording us an opportunity to examine how “race” shape our everyday lives.

Over the 14 weeks, we will use readings, videos, lectures and other participatory exercises.  There will be required assigned readings, some written or video reflections and at least one small group presentation.

The course will attempts to answer the following questions:

• How does white supremacy and associated ideologies (“race,” “whiteness,” etc.) shape our actions, identities, thoughts, life experiences, and life choices?
• How is systemic white supremacy shaped and maintained by patterned social relations (social structure)?
• How do the forms of white supremacy change over time in different institutional, cultural, political, and historical contexts?
• How do we move from theory and knowledge to action and change that is sustainable?

Below is a link to course application.  If you are interested in participating, please click on link and submit completed form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUaGyPPcqdfR_J9YLh7mLTnTG7ZIG_44YaXyyg3XD-TtfEcg/viewform?usp=pp_url