Tech Minorities and Philosophy (MAP) and the Department of Philosophy would like to invite all to attend "Doing Things While Black: A Dialogue on Race" with Professor Chris Hom (Philosophy).
Description: Black people doing ordinary, everyday things like:
- barbecuing
- napping in a dorm lounge
- sitting in a Starbucks
- leaving an Airbnb
- golfing
- returning home
has recently resulted in high profile instances of someone white calling the police. In none of these events was there an actual crime committed, or even anything that would resemble probable cause that a crime was committed. What are the social and moral implications of this trend? Has the white caller actually done anything wrong? Are we simply hitting up against the negative racial stereotypes that stigmatize black Americans on a regular basis? What motivates white callers in these circumstances? Explicit racism? Implicit bias? Fear? Anger? Does this happen less frequently in areas that are more integrated? Does the current political environment validate this kind of behavior? What do these events tell us about race relations in America, if anything?
