Fri, 27 Sep 2024 12:00 PM - Fri, 6 Dec 2024 2:00 PM

Center for Faculty Innovation

The African, African American, and Diaspora (AAAD)/Center for Faculty Innovation (CFI) Critical Perspectives and Pedagogies Institute cultivates a space where participants will reflectively study and explore how to address systemic racism in our teaching. Specifically, over the course of eight sessions during the fall semester participants will dive deeply into the histories, philosophies, knowledges, methodologies, and pedagogies of experiences of people of African descent globally as well as the rich field of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies. Participants will draw upon these knowledges to evaluate the places where implicit bias, colonial and/or racist thinking occur within their own field; discover AAAD scholarship and pedagogical resources in their discipline and determine its value for their own scholarly and pedagogical practice; and develop a plan for structural and systemic change within their unit. 

Guided by faculty facilitators from JMU’s African, African American, and Diaspora (AAAD) Studies program across a wide range of disciplines, participants will receive an introduction to the field, guidance on discussion about key readings and other resources, as well as mentorship and targeted feedback on their pedagogical projects. The institute will be limited to 15 participants.

The institute will meet remotely via Zoom for the first seven sessions and in-person on campus for the final meeting on December 6. Faculty experts include Dr. Gus Hallmon, Dr. Jaimee Swift, Dr. Delores Phillips, Dr. Abigail Amoako Kayser and more! Library expertise also be provided by Malia Willey and Brian Sullivan.

Dates & Times

  • This institute will meet on Fridays from 12:00 - 1:30 PM on the following dates
    • Online through Zoom (7 sessions): 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, and 11/22
  • In-person on campus (1 session): 12/6 from 12:00 - 2:00 PM

Facilitators

  • Dr. Kara Kavanagh (College of Education)
  • Dr. Delores Phillips (AAAD Center Director)
  • Dr. Jaimee Swift (College of Arts and Letters)
  • Dr. Abigail Amoako Kayser (College of Education)
  • Dr. Gus Hallmon (College of Business)
  • Dr. Melissa Švigelj-Smith (College of Arts and Letters)
  • Dr. Modjadji Choshi (College of Health and Behavioral Studies)
  • Malia Willey and Brian Sullivan (Libraries)

Partners

Faculty participants will make progress toward these program outcomes

  1. Understanding that AAAD is an interdisciplinary field with specific histories, philosophies, innovations, methodologies, and experts, and with an activist-intellectual core;
  2. Recognizing that AAAD is a decolonial critique of all other disciplines that counters the long and ongoing tradition of white studies (which are typically framed as “objective”) by centering a critical frame of reference and non-eurocentric perspectives;
  3. Evaluating the places where implicit bias and colonial thinking occur within your own field, research, course design, and teaching materials;
  4. Discovering AAAD scholarship and pedagogical resources in your own discipline and determine their value for your own pedagogical practice;
  5. Developing a plan for structural and systemic change within your discipline and your unit.

Attendance & Registration Information

Our programs are intended for JMU faculty or staff only! If you are a student or administrator and would like to attend, please email cfi@jmu.edu with your request. Refer to the CFI Programs & Events webpage for detailed information and an instructional video on how to use the registration portal!
icon-calendar
LOG IN: If this is your first time visiting the registration page, your account will be created automatically when you sign in with your JMU e-ID and password (DUO required). Be sure to clear your browser cache/cookies upon each visit to the registration page.

  • Complete your profile information:
    • Update your college/division and department (use the search feature and/or select from the dropdown) and enter your Mail Stop Code (MSC) for your department on-campus mail.
    • Add comments about your dietary & accommodation needs at the bottom of the profile form. (This information is collected and stored with your online account for all future programs you may attend.)
  • Once your profile is complete, you should see a status update as complete on your Dashboard (an overview of your account).

Register by Monday, 9/23, at 11:59 PM.

Register

Cancellations

If you find that you are unable to attend a scheduled event prior to the registration deadline, please return to your CFI Program Account and cancel your registration. If it is after the event registration deadline, please email cfi@jmu.edu as early as possible.

CFI programs will be canceled automatically if JMU is closed for inclement weather.

We want this program to be welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for all of our participants. Please describe any considerations or accommodations (e.g., dietary, disability, wellness, cultural, etc.) you want us to know about in your account profile. You may also reach out to us at cfi@jmu.edu or (540) 568-4846.

 

Back to Top