Learning from the Experiences of Being a Black Body in the Western Academy: Countering Hegemonic Thoughts

Abstract

This chapter attempts to draw out/upon some of the lessons from the experiences of being a Black body in the Western academy and the challenges of countering hegemonic thoughts. Working with ideas of CLR James, the chapter stretches the discussion to the role and responsibilities of the Black scholar in general. The specific question of how we take up race and racial identity in the academy is broached. The chapter notes that the contemporary world, where class, gender, race, sexuality, and other cleavages are important dimensions of identity, it is significant for us to be critical of evocations of "community" that erase these differences. Moreover, African leadership or leadership in the Black community, broadly conceived, should not be inordinately focused on critiquing the West. While it is clear that race-based organizing has paved the way for Black intellectuals to hold positions, can such organizing be abstracted from the influence of other forces and factors which are themselves independent of the intentions of Black political prac-tice? Some questions need to be asked. For example, in our struggles and trepida-tions in the Western academy, where are we going to walk next as racialized faculty? What does it mean to work with the possibilities that can be unleashed with our critical capacities? If we are into "transformative education," how do we subvert dominant readings of transformative learning that are so individualistic, focused on attitudinal changes and agency of the individual learner, while failing to name critical issues of race, racism and anti-racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, other oppressions, colonization, and Indigeneity? How do we foster dialogic and genera-tive forums for such critical discussions in the academy? The possibilities for personal reflection allow for my writing voice to be heard and be present within and without the text the "text." What do we do with our academy presence, specifically, our teaching and scholarly research in terms of the real world out there? Quite recently, as a Black body/scholar, I was invited to contribute to a discussion on the experiences of racialized faculty in the academy. I took up the opportunity in a different or indirect way, that is, to reflect on my work and how the scholarship we produce either sits within conventional discourses and/or disrupts mainstream dialogues. In this chapter, I recap some of the ideas I shared with the participants. The issues of racism, social oppression, marginalization, devaluation, and