Tufts CSRD holds teach-in on Ferguson

The Tufts Center for the Study of Race and Democracy (CSRD) hosted a teach-in on the events, context and implications of this summer's conflict and the ongoing situation in Ferguson, Mo. in the Terrace Room on Friday afternoon. The event was broken up into three panel discussions, featuring both student and faculty hosts.

The first panel, titled "Students and Political Activism in the Wake of Ferguson," was student-run. The second, titled "Ferguson in Context: Race, State Violence and Civil Rights," featured Professor of History Peniel Joseph,Associate Professor of Art and Art History Adriana Zavala and Associate Professor of Education Sabina Vaught. The third panel, titled "Resistance after Ferguson: Combating Structural Racism in the 21st Century," was conducted by Joseph, Associate Professor of Psychology Samuel Sommers and Professor of Classics and International Relations Bruce Hitchner.

The third panel focused on the larger significance and structural issues highlighted by the events in Ferguson.

"What I wanted this panel to talk about … [is] this idea of resistance, the idea that this is not just a moment but is really part of a long movement, a human rights movement," Joseph said, adding that the panel would discuss effective means to combat structural racism, state violence and structural inequality.

Hitchner drew a comparison to the Civil Rights movement in the United States in the 1960s, noting the marked difference between then and now.

"The environment today that we’re dealing with in Ferguson in 2014 is much more complex than it was in the '60s," he said.

Hitchner also cited the important role that media plays in society today and the responsibility it has to not only convey information, but also show how to help and structure ideas.

"Media cannot only be informational in this process," he noted, adding that society cannot just look for flash points such as in Ferguson, but must also examine the places where such issues exist but may be invisible or inactive.

More attention must also be paid to the lack of transparency and institutional obstacles that have complicated and blurred these issues, Hitchner said, noting that there must be a process of democratically challenging structures that disenfranchise groups and individuals, citing gerrymandering as an example.

Joseph opened the panel to comments and questions from audience participants.

"How do we come away from today and think about structural racism in different and unique ways?” he asked.

Juan Celia, a senior, asked about the best ways to unlearn the racist, subliminal elements imposed by the media upon viewers.

Sommers noted that the first step is to acknowledge that such messages exist. The two keys to combat this issue are motivation and a cognitive wherewithal, he added.

"The media both shapes and reflects what’s going on in our society," he said.

Daniel Marion, a first-year, said that he views the biggest issue as people not being involved with related protests and movements going on and ultimately not understanding the depths of such problems.

"This scenario should be something that outrages everyone equally," Sommers said.

Joseph addressed the idea of having a mandatory class for all Tufts students on issues of race, noting that Tufts is currently sending the message that these issues are not central. For instance, the university could have created an initiative to host a teach-in on Ferguson.

"I think we should have had something that was university-wide and mandated," he said.

The panelists also discussed ways to get involved in activism both on and off campus, as well as through internships, noting the recent activism on campus surrounding the unionization of part-time faculty members last year and the negotiations with the university this year.

"This is our university, this is our community -- shouldn’t we want this place to be better?" Sommers asked.

The panelists then spoke about altering attitudes in the workplace as a common meeting ground for bringing about change.

Joseph emphasized the importance of redefining racism as it has commonly been understood to look more at institutional and structural racism with a focus on changing outcomes and getting to a point where there is no longer an achievement gap between races.