Starter 2: Should we rename the course? Why “Sub Saharan Africa”?
Check out the world map above and notice what is different.
Starter Debrief
Today's Agenda
Reminders
TODAY’S ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What are we doing and where are we going?
Ashley will talk through why we're starting with more contemporary issues and frames for colonialism and racism today and then where we are headed from here and over the course of the semester.
Definition: STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS (From one of your assigned readings)
A structural adjustment is set of economic reforms that a country must adhere to in order to secure a loan from the International Monetary Fund and/or the World Bank. Structural adjustments are often a set of economic policies, including reducing government spending, opening to free trade and so on.
They got a bad rap esp. in the 80's and 90s for leading to more poverty in the Global South. Basically, these institutions would offer poorer nations loans, and then when those countries couldn't pay the loan back in time or in full, the IMF/World Bank would swoop in and say, no problem. Just offer us bananas at a super low price and only buy Sour Patch Kids from these pre-approved nations.
Thus, once the Bretton Woods institutions had “control of exports” the prices they paid for them decreased, while the cost of their own exports into Africa increased.
The Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the United States, Canada, Western European countries, Australia, and Japan after the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement.
Discuss today's reading assignments: Colonialism and Decolonization Today
Racism and White Supremacy
Two Youtube Videos
Watch the following two short youtube videos and be ready to discuss your reactions and your guesses as to why I’d ask you to watch them and how they might relate to the course content thus far.
Definitions, according to Robin Diangelo
Check out the world map above and notice what is different.
- What about it might make us reconsider renaming the course?
- Why do you think the map as we know it is typically oriented the other way around?
Starter Debrief
Today's Agenda
- Starter + discussion (10 minutes)
- Discuss last night's assignment (20 minutes)
- Racism and White Supremacy in comedy and sociological terms (20 minutes)
- Homework overview (5 minutes)
Reminders
- Links to readings can be found on the course calendar located on the "Resources" tab of my DP and I'll assign them in google classroom as well.
- All reading assignment responses go in your digital comp book which is automatically shared with me in google classroom
TODAY’S ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- To what extent does contemporary racial justice revolution relate to colonialism?
- Why should we even study the history and legacy of European’s colonialism of Africa?
- How does an understanding of colonialism and the Eurocentric nature of most curricula influence your view of your own education?
What are we doing and where are we going?
Ashley will talk through why we're starting with more contemporary issues and frames for colonialism and racism today and then where we are headed from here and over the course of the semester.
- Starting with the present to understand relevance today
- We'll go back in time:
- European colonialism and theories of imperialism with a focus on Belgium and King Leopold's rule in the Congo
- We'll read a classic imperialist text called Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
- We'll then study African resistance to colonialism and independence movements
- Then we'll dive into neocolonialism (today!) and various theories of development/foreign aid
- We'll end with a final project that will hopefully allow you the ability to work together, be creative, and tackle something of your own interest related to course content.
Definition: STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS (From one of your assigned readings)
A structural adjustment is set of economic reforms that a country must adhere to in order to secure a loan from the International Monetary Fund and/or the World Bank. Structural adjustments are often a set of economic policies, including reducing government spending, opening to free trade and so on.
They got a bad rap esp. in the 80's and 90s for leading to more poverty in the Global South. Basically, these institutions would offer poorer nations loans, and then when those countries couldn't pay the loan back in time or in full, the IMF/World Bank would swoop in and say, no problem. Just offer us bananas at a super low price and only buy Sour Patch Kids from these pre-approved nations.
Thus, once the Bretton Woods institutions had “control of exports” the prices they paid for them decreased, while the cost of their own exports into Africa increased.
The Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the United States, Canada, Western European countries, Australia, and Japan after the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement.
Discuss today's reading assignments: Colonialism and Decolonization Today
- What do you all know about BLM?
- We'll go through all four articles, having you all share your takeaways and questions.
- Focusing on "Decolonizing the Curriculum"
- How do we decolonize the curriculum? What does that look like in practice?
- What are the consequences of a eurocentric or white curriculum? Think about the concept of "colonial mentality"
- Why might it be hard to decolonize the curriculum?
- How does this influence your perspective on your own education? To what extent might it influence future decisions?
- How can you hold me accountable?
Racism and White Supremacy
Two Youtube Videos
Watch the following two short youtube videos and be ready to discuss your reactions and your guesses as to why I’d ask you to watch them and how they might relate to the course content thus far.
- “Where are you from” ?
- Next, check out this Australian comedian, of Bangladeshi descent, speak about "Reverse Racism”
Definitions, according to Robin Diangelo
- Let's read the following excerpts from White Fragility defining "racism" and "white supremacy"
- What are your reactions, both emotionally and intellectually, to these definitions and claims?
- To what extent do you agree with Diangelo's framing?
- What are your thoughts regarding the idea of “reverse racism”-- what does it mean? do you agree with Diangelo's claim regarding this term?
- Open up the course calendar document found on the “Resources” page of my DP OR find it in google classroom.
- Click on the assignment due (Assignment #3: Danger of a Single Story)
- Let’s read through it!