Coloniality, Racism and Inequality (L3118B)

15 credits, Level 6

Spring teaching

This module explores how ideas of ‘race’ and racism emerged in the context of coloniality and continue to be relevant today. How and why were categories such as the ‘Orient’ and the ‘Occident’ coined? How and why were humans classified into ‘different races’? How do these ascriptions operate ambiguously – by producing categorisations and sub-categorisations of belonging? How is the division of labour and property justified on their basis? How do current policies draw on and reproduce racism? And how have people resisted and mobilised against various forms of racist domination?

Approaching these questions from a de- and postcolonial perspective, the module draws our attention to the histories, geopolitics and institutional trajectories of race and racism. 

In this module you'll:

• trace the making of ideas of Europe’s internal and external Others and the relevance of scientific racism during the Enlightenment
• explore various dynamics of racialisation and the hierarchical relations they have produced during colonialism
• examine, via several contemporary case studies, how these histories continue to determine whose lives matter today 
• explore how colonial legacies and ideas of difference shape our understanding and practice of Higher Education, citizenship, human rights, borders, leisure, travel and home
• make sense of current developments such as the humanitarian crisis at Europe’s borders or the ‘War on Terror’.

 

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.