February marks the beginning of Black History Month in the United States- an annual celebration of the achievements and accomplishments of African Americans throughout history. This Black History Month, Social Science Space and SAGE Publishing are recognizing Black scholars, past and present, that are paving the way in their fields. Whether through extraordinary contributions, findings, or advocacy, these academics are influencing the social and behavioral sciences for the better. We encourage you to join in on social media, using #BlackInSBS.
Additionally, as the work of social and behavioral scientists is crucial in helping to dismantle systemic racism, we are spotlighting research and suggestions on how to create an antiracist society. From podcasts to profiles, articles and webinars, we have collected a host of resources as well as information that we hope will encourage conversations, self-education, and policy changes.
*This page will continue to be updated as we publish new resources throughout the month.*
Highlights
Black Women in the Social and Behavioral Sciences
(From left) Dr. Leith Mullings, Dr. Alondra Nelson, Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander
Insights
Webinars: Reimagining Social Institutions
This is a series of conversations sponsored by the Social Science Research Council and SAGE Publishing. The series serves as a public forum focused on cultivating equitable, anti-racist social institutions. This program is presented as part of the Social Science Research Council’s Inequality Initiative, a series of programs and projects that bring innovative social science analysis to bear on our understanding of the roots and consequences of unequal participation in political, economic, and social systems across the globe. The series moderator is Alondra Nelson, Harold F. Linder Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study and president of the Social Science Research Council.
Podcast: Throughline
The past is never past. Every headline has a history. Join us every week as we go back in time to understand the present. These are stories you can feel and sounds you can see from the moments that shaped our world.
Podcast: The American Tapestry Project
In the “American Tapestry: We Tell Ourselves Stories,” Andrew Roth explores the post-1968 shattering of the American story by asking “What is the ‘story of America’? Is there such a thing? Is there only one story, or are there many stories? If there are many stories, how are they woven, can they be woven, together to tell the story of America?”
Podcast: Resistance
Resistance tells stories about black activism across the globe. It is about people refusing to accept things as they are.
Podcast: Intersectionality Matters
In each episode, Kimberlé Crenshaw, a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia Law School and developer of the theory of intersectionality, interviews thinkers, creatives, advocates and academics about how the issues of the day reflect the reality of intersectionality.
Podcast: Don't Call Me Resilient
This provocative new podcast discusses race and comes from The Conversation. Vinita Srivastava takes you deep into conversations with scholars and activists who view the world through an anti-racist lens. Instead of calling those who have survived the pain of systemic racism resilient, this podcast goes in search of solutions for those things no one should have to be resilient for.
Other
- Antiracist research – follow this tag for the latest posts
- Association for the Study of African American Life and History – visit the page for information, additional publications and events such as the Black History Month Virtual Festival.
- NAACP – visit their page on Black History Month
Black History Month on Social Science Space
Fifty Years of Hip Hop: Celebrating a Cultural Phenomenon
For over fifty years, this African American art form has adapted and evolved to new sounds, new artists, and new influences. At its heart, hip hop remains a form of self-expression and social justice, encouraging listeners to both “Bring the Noise” and “Fight the Power.”
Asking Questions, Analyzing Outcomes: Alondra Nelson and the Betterment of Society
A look at the career of Alonda Nelson, who is now essentially the national adviser for social and behavioral sciences in the United States.
Teaching Black Lives Matter Tenets to Shape Humanizing Research and Methods Pedagogy
The 13 principles of Black Lives Matter are the starting point of my qualitative methods courses Researchers, and those who […]
The Trailblazing Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander
“I knew well that the only way I could get that door open was to knock it down; because I knocked all […]
How Can We Strengthen the Academic Pipeline?
While Americans have a long way to go until U.S. higher education accurately reflects the country it inhabits and honestly depicts that road that got us here, below are eight organizations working to strengthen the academic pipeline right now.
‘Detoxing from Academia’: One Black Scholar’s Journey
JeffriAnne Wilder, a sociologist and leading scholar specializing in diversity, race relations and women’s empowerment, has almost two decades of experience in higher education. In this interview, she details who influenced — from her mom to bell hooks — and why she left her tenured professorship to work for a non-profit.
Recalling a Forgotten Anthropologist (and Victim) of Structural Racism
This Black History Month, remember the trailblazing work of an American anthropologist, Allison Davis, who both studied and was a victim of the nation’s entrenched racism.
Black History and the Myth of Mary Seacole
In what he describes as the obverse of the Rhodes Must Fall campaign, Robert Dingwall argues that the secular sainthood conferred on Mary Seacole steps on historical scholarship and ignores more genuine exemplars.
Recent Scholarship on the Black Experience in the U.S.
From Martin Luther King to black political participation to race relations to teaching African American students, here are some academic papers from the ‘Journal of Black Studies’ that provide a scholarly snapshot of different aspects of black history and current issues in black studies.
