La Salle’s Black Studies minor uses interdisciplinary approaches to educate students about the histories and experiences of Black people, focusing on the Black diaspora in the Americas and emphasizing Black agency and anti-racist frameworks and scholarship.
Students will explore important issues such as systemic racism, social justice, health and wellness, education, intersectionality, and cultural contributions as they relate to members of the Black diaspora in the Americas.
The Black Studies minor at La Salle can complement any major by broadening and deepening students’ knowledge of the Black experience in the Americas, equipping them with the tools to address issues of systemic racism and social inequality and to be agents of change after graduating.
Introduction to Black Studies focuses on the histories and experiences of people of African descent in the Americas. Students are introduced to the key debates, figures, contributions, and concepts necessary to understand the historical, political, social, artistic, literary, and cultural development of Black life in the Americas. This course addresses topics such as migration and urbanization, as well as significant moments and movements ranging from uprisings by enslaved people across the Black diaspora to 20th century Civil Rights Movements. Students will examine systemic racism and intersectional identities, especially those that are reflected in contexts such as education, healthcare, and the criminal justice systems within the Americas.
This course provides students with an understanding of racial and ethnic influences on health status and the societal factors that shape them. During the course, students examine the concepts of race and ethnicity, and distinguish between categories of biological and social constructionist perspectives. Students define and describe racial and ethnic health inequities, discuss mechanisms underlying inequities, and think critically about existing health research on health inequities. Students will explore theoretical frameworks for interpreting inequities in health and examine approaches for elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities.
This course is for students who are interested in getting involved in community outreach activities or who have already demonstrated an ongoing commitment to such activities. This course integrates community service with issues of justice from the perspective of theology. Its purpose is to provide not only analysis, but also a deeper appreciation and respect for the disadvantaged, and a more long-lasting commitment to enter into solidarity with them in their struggle for justice. Through readings, reflection, a community service project, and discussion, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the social, political, spiritual, and economic causes of injustice and how their service influences social justice causes.
Our faculty teach across disciplines, bringing a breadth of knowledge and experience to enhance students’ education, within the classroom and beyond.