With each RB4R event I've seen comments about its "Englishness". While the initiative is affiliated w/a research center. RB4R is not "the" center. RB4R reflects a long history of BIPOC scholars engaged in pre/early modern critical race studies. 2/
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This history sought to transcend discipline boundaries. Most of this effort was done by some of the BIPOC scholars involved in the formation of RB4R. Work sometimes discounted because it came out of "literary studies" or it wasn't "literary studies." 3/
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Yet premodern critical race studies persevered. Little by little, the study of premodern race shifted intellectual terrain, crossing boundaries that weren't supposed to be crossed. It wasn't easy when academic institutions privilege one language 4/
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or national culture over others. It also wasn't easy when whyte academic hegemony fostered (continues to foster) a hostile intellectual environment for BIPOC scholars of premodern cultures regardless of discipline. The carving out of professional and 5/
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intellectual space for BIPOC scholars that is non-hostile shouldn't be subject to the disciplinary ideology that has governed academia (Humanities vs the Sciences, Social Sciences vs Science, English vs non-English, Literature vs History etc). 6/
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So when disciplinary interests lead to BIPOC scholars shaming/blaming an initiative created by BIPOC scholars based their academic discipline, I have questions and a suggestion. The suggestion first: Stop. Recognize what you're doing. 7/
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If this is an attempt to gain attention, you've done so. If this is an inquiry into how to become more actively engaged in the growth & expansion of initiatives like RaceB4Race, contact the initiative's board members or develop one yourself. 8/
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If you're looking for an invitation to become a speaker/respondent or propose an idea, see
. If your purpose is neither of these, perhaps it's important to step back and examine why the criticism was necessary in the first place.
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My questions: what is the value of sustaining the division and specialization of intellectual labor w/in Humanities, esp when it comes to critical race/indigenous studies? Why is it necessary to publicly disclaim an endeavor if your discipline isn't the 10/
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driving force behind the initiative? Why is there an de facto expectation that disciplinary inclusion has to be practiced by another discipline but not one's own? How do BIPOC scholars dismantle once and for all this structure? 11/
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RB4R is about "premodern race." Must we continue to default to linguistic/field-specific practices; shouldn't we dismantle the division & specialization of intellectual labor that RB4R is beginning to address? The BIPOC scholars who intiated RB4R aren't 12/
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the enemy. US academic failure to support non-English language research initiatives & scholars is the problem. Let's not wield disciplinary swords in the service of whyte academic hegemony. BIPOC scholars have been on the receiving end far too often. Fini/
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BTW this is something I've been thinking about lately. No need to @ me.
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