University of Connecticut Courses

U.S. Anti-Black Racism

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Study the roots of systemic and institutional racism in AmericaThis 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 AmericaIssues 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 societyThe 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 binaryUsing 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 EmbrickThe 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.

Black Agency: Resistance and Resilience

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Understand how agency can give Black people an empowering sense of controlIn 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement exploded onto the global stage, shedding light on the sheer scale of institutional anti-Black racism the world over.Following on from U.S. Anti-Black Racism, on this course you’ll explore Black agency – Black people’s sense of free will and individual power – learning what it is and why it’s so important in the face of injustice and anti-Blackness.Study the history of race and racismAlongside Dr Shardé M. Davis – a world-leading expert on Black resistance and resilience – you’ll explore how race, racism, and anti-Blackness intersect and feed into each other.You’ll get a refresher overview of the history of racism, exploring how Black Americans are taught about racism from a young age, and how racial identity is formed via socialisation.Examine the impact of Black art and cultureLooking at art, community, and culture, you’ll discover the methods by which Black people consciously cope with systemic racism.Identifying the structural barriers that exist to hold Black people back, you’ll consider the dextrous and creative ways in which Blacks have used their sense of agency to fight back and take back control of their lives.Learn how to build resilience and why it mattersYou’ll discuss how the course material reflects your own lived experience of racism and prejudice, as well as how it challenges your knowledge and belief systems.Ultimately, you’ll emerge with a deeper appreciation of Black Pride and grace, able to understand how Blacks, people of colour, and allies alike can resist everyday oppression.This course is directed to learners who have completed U.S. Anti-Black Racism and anyone else interested in furthering their education about anti-Black racism by considering how Black Americans contend with it in their everyday lives, including their acts of resistance, coping strategies, and ways that they cultivate pride.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.