At first glance, the White Studies class taught here at Portland State might appear notorious, maybe even offensive to some. The title strikes hard and controversial, yet gives little insight into the content and context of the course.
The course focuses solely on racism in the United States, so one might be curious as to why it is titled “White Studies.” Isn’t that taking one negative historical aspect of a group and exploiting it? We don’t teach a class on Germany and fill it exclusively with Nazi content. We don’t have a course on Christianity and teach information only on the Crusades, or instruct a course on Islam and talk only about Osama Bin Laden. So why have a class titled White Studies but discuss only racism in it?
After delving into the course, I can say that though I still find that the title does not aptly fit the course, the course itself is a valuable experience that offers a critical look at modern society. White Studies is a bit of a novel field that is gaining popularity in America’s universities, as well as criticism. Which is slightly understandable, as the field of White Studies is not yet well known.
“We’re not studying the KKK or Neo-Nazis,” said Pedro Ferbel-Azc퀌�rate, the professor who teaches the class.
Though, to assume the class covers the kind of racism we are familiar with in our country’s more recent past, or even our popular culture, would be a mistake. The racism explored in this course is the kind that is present in all our lives, whether we are aware of it or not.
It is undeniable that the United States has had racism within its structure from its founding. This racism formed a system that has continued to this day. Though most aren’t aware of it, actively participate in it or knowingly encourage it, it is still there underneath the fabric of our society. And though in our modern age most white people don’t engage in racist ideology, they are the beneficiaries of the system that was put into place long ago. This is the focus of the course.
“We’re trying to look between the lines of America’s history, to better understand structural racism today,” Ferbel-Azc퀌�rate said. After looking at structural issues related to race, the students will complete a final project that explores solutions to the issue.
The draw of a criticism-based course like this can reach only so far. Most disapproval of White Studies usually stems from ignorance of what the course actually aims to teach. That, and from sources like www.familysecuritymatters.org, which is downright comical. The folks from this organization are paranoid about practically everything, and they believe everything else is threatening somehow. Like liberal-college courses, immigrants and Jimmy Carter. It’s this kind of narrow-minded thinking that isn’t helping society get past racial issues.
Instead of jumping to conclusions, like many have and will, look into the course before thinking that it is inherently racist toward Caucasians or promotes white guilt. Those are inaccurate assumptions. Though I still feel the title of the class could use some alteration to more precisely reflect the course content, I hope that those who can take advantage of the class will, and that they take from the experience awareness that can contribute to the solution to structuralized racism.