Psychology 12, Spring 2009
Introduction to African American Psychology
(Meets TuTh 12:00 - 1:10, Avery Hall 224)
Professor Halford H. Fairchild
Office: 203 Scott Hall,
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays,
Phone: 909-607-3056 - Cell: 323-252-8399
Course Syllabus (Working Draft)
Syllabus is dynamic, and changes as we proceed through the course.
Course Description and Requirements:
This course surveys the specialty of African American Psychology. The course is writing and speaking intensive. Tuesdays are devoted to an exploration of the main text by Belgrave & Allison (students should expect quizzes in the first five minutes of each class); Thursdays are devoted to discussions of the readings provided by the instructor. Short "S/R" papers are required each Thursday. See "S/R papers," described below.
Texts:
Belgrave, Faye Z., & Allison, Kevin W. (2006). African American
Psychology: From
Fairchild, H.H. (2007).
Recommended links:
http://www.abolishthenword.com/homepage.htm - Abolish the Nword
Association of Black Psychologists
Schedule of
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NO CLASS TODAY - WATCH THE INAUGURATION OF BARACK OBAMA (write a 1 or 2 paragraph reaction, stating how you think the election of Barack Obama is pertinent to this course material). Also, check out and be prepared to discuss the video, below:
Kiri Davis, A Girl Like Me - Video that recreates the Clark Study - You Tube Version (click the You Tube Version link)
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Course Introduction and Overview - What is African American Psychology? The impetus for African American Psychology: Racism in White Psychology (Powerpoint Lecture) (Review this powerpoint prior to Thursday.) Fairchild, H.H. (1991). Scientific racism: The Cloak of objectivity. Journal of Social Issues, 47(3), 101-115. (PDF FILE) (may be on quiz on 1/27/09)
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Introduction and Historical Foundation. What is Black Psychology? (not on quiz) Memorial Program for Asa Hilliard (review for quiz, today) |
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Fairchild's SR Papers: Film Notes and McAdoo; Reader |
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Agenda: Key Quiz - Quiz for Today
Film: Bill Cosby: Black History: Lost Stolen or Strayed
Also read for quiz: Atonement for Slavery (op ed by Marcus Rediker)
Today's Video: Yes We Can by Wil.I.am
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Europe Takes Africa's Fish (NY Times Article, January 2008) Fairchild, H.H., Whitten, L., & Richard, H.W.
(2003). Teaching African American psychology: Resources and
strategies. Pp. 195-206 in P. Bronstein & K. Quina (Eds.), Teaching
gender and multicultural awareness: Resources for the psychology classroom.
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Kinship and Family - Last Year's Quiz Today's Quiz Video: Kawaiida psychology by Maulana Karenga
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Fairchild, H.H., & Basu, D. (2000). Continuing struggles in Black studies. Psych Discourse, 31(9), 11.
A photograph of Aborigines (NYT, 2/13/09) to ponder:
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Educational Systems - Last Year's Quiz Today's Quiz Video on CCCSI Program for Youth
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B&A: Chapter 4 |
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Dillon, Sam (2007). Alabama Plan Brings Out Cry of Resegregation, LA Times, September 17, 2007. Report card shows gap between white, minority students Fourth- and eighth-graders' math scores increased, but white students are still scoring higher than their African American and Hispanic classmates, especially in California. By Tina Marie Macias, Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2007
Fairchild, H.H. (1984). School size, per-pupil
expenditures, and school achievement. Review of Public Data Use, 12,
221-229. (PDF FILE) Crowds of Pupils but Little Else in African Schools By SHARON LaFRANIERE, NY Times, Dec 30, 2006
The Obama Effect (news article) .
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HOMEWORK FOR 2/24/09: View this video. It may be on quiz for 2/24/09:
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Neighborhoods and Communities - Last Year'sQuiz Notes by Fairchild on Today's Chapter
Film Lecture: "Differences are not deficits" by Rev. Jeremiah Wright
An Olmec Head
circa 1955: A typical Olmec head carving dating from 1100 BC on display in Washington DC's National Geographical Society museum. (Photo by Three Lions/Getty Images) (#3328921) . To see more, type Olmec Heads in a Google search box. These stone heads were found in Mexico, and document an African presence in the Americas well before Columbus.
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B&A: Chapter 5 |
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Notes by Fairchild on This week's Chapter (take a look at, for discussion, but no S/R due on this material) Ancient Kush rivaled Egypt, experts say Discovery of a 4,000-year-old gold-processing center in Sudan sheds light on the first urban civilization in sub-Saharan Africa. By Thomas H. Maugh II, LA Times, June 19, 2007 |
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Interpersonal and Close Relationships - Chapter Highlights An Old Quiz Today's Quiz Film: A Question of Color. |
B&A: Chapter 6 |
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Fairchild, H.H. (1985). Black singles: Gender differences in mate preferences and heterosexual attitudes.
Western Journal of Black Studies, 9(2), 69-73. Black/Latino Shootings...LA Times Article January 31, 2008 Fairchild's S/R Paper for Today
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Cognition, Learning and Language - Today's Quiz Film Lecture: Nancy Boyd Franklin, 1994 Distinguished Psychologist of The ABPsi. |
B&A: Chapter 7 |
3/11/09 5-7 pm |
Extra Credit Opportunity: Speaker on vioelence in the human condition. Attend and write an S/R, for tomorrow, for up to 100 points. Click here for details | |
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Fairchild, H.H., & Edwards-Evans, S. (1990).
African American dialects and schooling. Pp. 75-86 in A.M.
Padilla, H.H. Fairchild & C.M. Valadez (Eds.), Bilingual education:
Issues and strategies. Bonus Article (earn 25 extra credit points for S/R on this one and minus 10-15 points if you don't do it): Kellow & Jones (2008), The effects of stereotypes on the achievement gap: Reexamining the academic performance of African American high school students. Journal of Black Psychology, 34(1), 94-120.../../pdf/JBP/Kellow&Jones(2008)Stereotypes&Achievement.pdf Fairchild's S/R paper for today
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Spring Break |
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Spring Break |
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Religion and Spirituality - An Old Quiz Additional Readings for Today: Diversity in Higher Education, Article by Trower & Chait (2002) News Article: Teachers Lose Job Over Emmett Till poem, LA Times 3-18-07
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B&A: Chapter 8 |
| 3-25/09 | Extra Credit Opportunity: Larry Ward: Social Change and the Mind: Confidence in Chaos, 5-7 pm, Founders Room, McConnell Center. RSVP at 909-607-8183 or DeborahL@pitzer.edu | |
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Fairchild, H.H. (2000). Taking care of
business: The Black family and the Black church. Unpublished manuscript. Fairchild, H.H. (1993). Drip by drip, the indignities go on. LA Times, April 19, 1993 (p. B7)
Bonus: http://www.jbhe.com/features/55_blackfaculty.html
Fairchild's NEWLY REVISED S/R Paper for today.
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Self-Attributes and Racial Identity.
Video Lecture: Dr. Na'im Akbar, March 1995, Lecture at Pitzer College. (Topic: "The future of the African American family: Youth and adolescents.)
Students are instructed to:
[Make-up: if you were absent today, you can replace this assignment by doing the same thing on the following video:
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B&A: Chapter 9 |
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Fairchild, H.H. (1987). N Word should be
odious from anyone.
Southland's Third World Slums (LA Times, 3/26/07)
Fairchild's SR Paper for Today.
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Lifespan Development - Today's Quiz Jane Elliott: Blue Eye/Brown Eye Experiment (LA Times Article, March 26, 2009). Film Lecture: Skin Deep
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B&A: Chapter 10 |
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Fairchild, H.H. (2001). A wake-up call for
peace. Psych Discourse, 32(10), 18-19.
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NO CLASS TODAY: Instead, conduct a search of PsychInfo for a recent article (2007 or 2008) in Black Psychology, and write a one page report. Be prepared to share a 1 or 2 minute presentation, on Thursday, about what you learned. Step by step:
Health, Illness and Disability -
Additional readings
Above two newspaper articles are eligible for quizzing, today.
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B&A: Chapter 11 |
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Today, we will discuss what you learned from your research on Tuesday. Be prepared to offer a 1-3 minute synopsis of the article you read. Fairchild, H.H. (1987). Our 'ostrich
mentality' on racism.
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Psychosocial Adaptation and Mental Health.
Today's Films: LaFrances Rodgers-Rose, author of The Black Woman, in a talk given at Pitzer College, March 3, 1995. "Mirrors" a 16 minute clip from the movie, Sexual Dependency.
A link recommended by Sallam Said: (song by KRS1) S1) click
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B&A: Chapter 12 |
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Fairchild, H.H. (1994). Frantz Fanon's The
Wretched of the Earth in contemporary perspective. Journal of Black
Studies, 25(2), 191-199.
Bonus Question for your S/R paper: Is racism real or imagined? What do we do about it?
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Drug Use and Abuse - expect a quiz on this chapter. Today's Quiz |
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Myers, Linda James (1985). Transpersonal Psychology, Journal of Black Psychology (see article for exact title and reference) Fairchild, H.H. (1989). A whole community
faces a life sentence of neglect.
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Aggression, Violence and Crime Course rap-up will be today as there is no class on Thursday 5-8. Fairchild's Closing Rap (an old one)
Students' Raps/Poems
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B&A: Chapter 14 |
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Reading Day (no class)
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Assignments
Quizzes. Students should be prepared to take a short quiz every
Tuesday at the beginning of class. These will be multiple choice
questions that examine the readings for that day. Questions may also
include material from the previous week's lectures, films, and/or discussions.
S/R Papers. Students are required to write short "S/R"
papers for each Thursday class session. "S/R" stands for
"Stimulus/Response." The "Stimulus," is the
day's reading assignment. The "Response" is the student's
reaction to that reading. For each class session that has a reading
assignment, students should write an "S/R" for each of the
readings. When a film or video is shown on the previous Tuesday, an
"S/R" should be produced for that film or video. The
"Stimulus" portion of the paper should be a very short summary or
synopsis of what the reading assignment was about. The
"Response" portion may be short or long -- and should provide your
insights, reflections, thoughts, reactions, and/or questions to the reading
material. These "Responses" will be shared in class as part of
our class discussion. Students should come to class, each Thursday, with
their "S/R Papers" typed and ready to hand in. These papers are
generally graded on a pass/fail basis -- 100 points for being turned in on time
(weak papers may receive fewer points; strong papers may receive bonus points);
50% credit for being late (turned in after class or if a student is absent).
Papers submitted by email are awarded 50% credit. (Half of the credit on this assignment is for students' oral contributions to class discussion.)
Course Rap Up. On the last day of class, students will present
(singly or in teams), a "rap" that defines the field of African
American Psychology. The rap should seek to integrate course materials
(texts, readings, video lectures, class discussions, etc.). The course
"rap" will be ungraded. (However, failure to complete this
assignment will adversely affect a student's grade in course participation.)
Grading
Students will be evaluated and graded based on their quiz
scores, S/R papers, and classroom participation. Attendance and
participation are heavily weighted. Each S/R paper can earn up to 100
points (late papers receive 50% credit; papers submitted in absentia--where
the student was absent and did not participate in the discussion--receive 50%
credit; and papers submitted by email receive 50% credit). Quizzes are
worth up to 100 points. Class participation is worth up to 500
points. "A" students receive 92% or more of the available
points; "B" students 82% or more; etc. Students on the margins
receive minuses or plusses.
Assignments, grading and course sequencing may change.