Inclusive Scholarship: Developing Black Studies - Ford Foundation

Inclusive Scholarship: Developing Black Studies in the United States 235
African American Studies and the Challenge of Globalization
As the demographics of the United States change so too does the
composition of the Black student population. The field needs to become
more inclusive to reflect the multidimensional histories and cultures of
that population while not losing sight of the history and specificity of
Black experiences and struggles both locally and globally.
African American Studies and the Challenge of Technology
Today, African American Studies, like the rest of higher education,
must confront the transformations brought on by technology. 6 Increasingly,
faculty are asked to incorporate new technological tools into their teaching.
African American digital texts point to new directions in the teaching and
presentation of Black Studies. It is essential that doctoral programs in Black
Studies incorporate technology as a necessary tool of the trade, and look to
ways in which technology can be used to enhance research and pedagogy in
the field, and build stronger linkages to Black communities.
African American Studies and the Challenge of the Pipeline
One of the most pressing issues facing the field is that of an adequate
pipeline of scholars. As a consequence of the challenges to affirmative action
programs, the number of African American students entering and
completing doctoral programs is still very low. Ironically, this phenomenon
may influence the racial diversity of African American Studies.
It is important to note, however, that although there are far too few young
people of color pursuing academic careers, the problem of the pipeline has become
a convenient excuse used by departmental and university administrators
who are resistant to diversifying the faculty. There is a history in higher education
of departments dismissing qualified interdisciplinary Black candidates for
not meeting the criteria of the individual discipline. Oftentimes such scholars
who would be highly sought after by African American Studies because of the
intellectual contribution they make to the field are less attractive to traditional
disciplines. This is a problem African American Studies shares with a number of