Antiblack Settler Colonialism and University-Community Relations: A Case Study of Temple University

• In Event: Disrupting Hegemonic Ideologies in Community-University Partnerships

Abstract

Historically White institutions of higher education have been described as anti-Black and settler colonialist when examining their interactions with students, faculty, and staff. This framework has not yet been extended to how institutions interact with their local communities. Using case study methods this study provides an in-depth analysis of Temple University’s historic and contemporary interactions with the community. We find that Temple’s large campus police force, physical expansion that removed Black residents, and support for privatized redevelopment show that Temple has, and continues to, act in anti-Black, settler colonial ways. We conclude by arguing to expand the research on the interface between historically White institutions and their communities with critical theoretical perspectives like anti-Black settler colonialism, especially in urban areas.

Authors

• Jake D. Winfield, Temple University

• James Earl Davis, Temple University