From Silence and Resistance to Tongues Untied Talking about Race in the College Classroom

• Published in: Challenges of Multicultural Education pp. 39 - 53
• Main Authors: Coté, Branden, Mann, Keenon Javon, Mukombe, Hattie Latrece, Nielsen, Christina Medina Bach, Wahl, Ana-María Gonzalez
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom Routledge 2005; Taylor & Francis Group
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Education; Service Learning; Young Man; Residential Liberal Arts College; Race Relations Class; African Americans; African American Female College Student; Overburdening; Independent Study; Vice Versa; Learning Communities Model; Selective Liberal Arts Colleges; Graduate Professional Development; Race Relations Courses; Multicultural Teacher Education; Wake Forest; Diversity Courses; Learning Communities; African American Junior; Service Learning Projects; Teaching Diversity Courses; Minority Students; Ethnic Relations; African American Students
• ISBN: 9781594511073; 1594511063; 9781594511066; 1594511071
• DOI: 10.4324/9781315635644-3

Two sets of pedagogical resources and strategies can move people beyond silence to a genuine dialogue in race relations courses: first, the principles of learning communities and second, a critical mass of students of color. This chapter examines the way that tongues are untied when diversity courses build on both. The challenges faculty and students encounter in race and ethnic relations courses are undoubtedly the result of a complex set of factors and dynamics. Consistent with many leading texts, the academic and intellectual work as a class was organized to provide a historical perspective on race and ethnic relations in the United States. The Race and Ethnic Relations class in which authors participated in fall 2003 at Wake Forest University built on both the principles of learning communities as well as a critical mass of minority students. The dinners greatly promoted intraclass relations and raised the students comfort level with each other.