AFRO 490: Debate

Abstract: This lecture discusses Great Debates in African American history- those of Emancipation, Self-Determination, and Black Liberation. 

Course: AFRO 490: Rethinking Theory in Black Studies  

Instructor: Abdul Alkalimat 

Term: Fall 2011 

Unit: Debate- The radical black canonical tradition = three great black debates  

Duration: 02:07:13 HH:MM:SS 

Lecture description: This is the fifth and final lecture in the AFRO 490 lecture series. This lecture focuses on the some of the questions raised by debates in African American history. What is debate? What is a great African American debate? Alkalimat argues there were three great debates- the Emancipation Debate, the Self-Determination Debate, and the Black Liberation Debate. He talks about what can be learned from these debates, and asks what is the next Great Debate?  

Sponsor: Department of African American Studies, and Online Continuing Education   

Course Description: This course is an introduction to various theories and methodologies rising out of the study of the Black world based on African American intellectual traditions. 45 years after Black Power posed a challenge to thinking by and about the African American experience it is necessary to rethink this legacy of changing consciousness. This is both a look at the theoretical formulations in the academic field of Black Studies, but more importantly it is thinking about how we the people can understand and be more self determining about our consciousness and how we can reorient ourselves to the fight for freedom. Now as then, we have work to do.