The Civil Rights Movement in Political Science: Attitudes and Opportunities

• In Event: Exploring Questions of Diversity & Inclusion

Abstract

The civil rights movement (CRM) in the United States provides a useful avenue for introducing students to concepts central to the discipline of political science. On many campuses, students encounter the CRM and related topics through the lens of history, literature, or other academic disciplines. Many intellectual traditions see their lines of inquiry as uniquely suited to examine the CRM, and other scholars and educators utilize trans or interdisciplinary approaches. But political scientists have much to say on the dynamics of the CRM and the case provides critical examples for exploration of nearly all subfields within the broad discipline. Using data from an original survey of political scientists, this paper seeks to understand the attitudes and approaches to incorporating the CRM topics in undergraduate political science curricula. Do political science faculty and departments prioritize its lessons in assessment and curriculum building? In what ways are these concepts included? After examining data on these questions, this paper argues that by claiming the CRM as a critical case for exploring the discipline, political scientists may improve learning outcomes in both disciplinary and civic knowledge.

Author

• Thomas Ringenberg, Rockhurst University