Dartmouth College Philosophy Dept. Offers Public Lecture Series on ‘Race, Gender and Justice’
“philosophy also reflects the legacy of privilege, oppression, and systemic racism”
Philosophy used to be a very serious minded discipline. This is Dartmouth?
Campus Reform reports:
Dartmouth continues ‘social justice activism’ lectures
Dartmouth College’s philosophy department will continue its series of public lectures on “Race, Gender and Justice.”
The first public lecture of the 2022-2023 academic year is on March 31 with Georgetown University Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Shelbi Nahwilet Meissner.
Her research focuses on “Indigenous languages, knowledge systems, and power,” and one of her articles argues that country music displays “settler ignorance.”
As stated on the department’s web page and a 2020 statement, the university established a “5-year series” of public workshops and lectures. The series is part of a larger commitment that includes “[d]iversifying” curriculum, fostering “student social justice activism,” and hiring faculty who specialize in race.
The statement, posted by former Philosophy Chair Amie Thomasson, showcases the department’s reasoning for implementing the “Race, Gender and Justice” series, along with numerous changes to the department’s curriculum.
“We believe that philosophy offers powerful tools for addressing issues of justice, morality, equality, identity, truth, power, law, democracy, race and intersectionality, among others. But philosophy also reflects the legacy of privilege, oppression, and systemic racism. It is one of the whitest disciplines within the humanities,” the statement says.
The statement continues, “The professional philosophical voices students hear at Dartmouth also are predominantly white voices, both in the classroom and on the page. We can do better to diversify our philosophical community and curriculum and to contribute to the struggle against racism.”
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
For those who may not be aware, this area of the country has a very, very serious opioid addiction problem — with associated deaths, diseases, draining of law enforcement resources , etc.
And this is what Dartmouth and it’s philosophers spend their time on?
Perhaps most sickeningly, this area of the country may have the per capital percentage of AfricanAnericans.
– – –
If you choose to enroll at Dartmouth, if you permit your child to enroll at Dartmouth , I’m sorry but I haven’t got much sympathy for you
lowest per capita
“Philosopy used to be a very serious minded discipline.”
When I was in college, we were required to include one humanities course in our schedule every term. The first one I chose as a freshman was called “Contemporary Moral Issues,” and it was offered by the Philosophy department. I chose it because I hoped it would help me make sense of all the striking, rioting, occupying, and protesting that my new peer group in Cambridge was indulging in all during those war years.
If the prof had been a socialist, it probably would have left me screwed up. As it turns out, he was a libertarian, and the course improved my thinking immensely.
So yes, discussion of these types of issues belongs there, and it actually is the proper place for it. It’s who you hire to teach the stuff that’s the linchpin issue.