The Ups and Downs of Teaching Race: Faculty and Student Emotions

• In Event: 4257 - Regular session: Racism and Antiracism II

Abstract

The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity and other race-related courses are known among faculty for being some of the more contentious and emotionally taxing courses to teach. The scholarly work that analyzes the challenges of teaching such courses is usually either directed toward helping instructors navigate the mine fields successfully, or toward making the case for why such courses are societally necessary and beneficial. Studies that explore the emotional challenges of teaching race either examine student emotions or faculty challenges, but rarely has a single study combined analysis of both student and faculty emotions of teaching race into one project. Our study uses mixed methods to answer the following research questions: (1) what are the most commonly reported emotions experienced during race courses for students, and for faculty? (2) are the emotions that students experience similar to, or different from, the emotions faculty experience in race courses? (3) to what extent, and how, do the racial identities of students and faculty impact what are the most commonly felt emotions for them in these courses? Despite the “controversial” reputation of these courses, we find the emotions they elicit to be a surprisingly equal balance between the “ups” (impressed, inspired) and the “downs” (angry, mad disappointed). We approach these emotions not as obstacles to be overcome in order to create a successful class, but rather emotions to sit with and understand.

Authors

• Eileen O'Brien, Saint Leo University

• Janis Prince, Saint Leo University