鈥淩acial liberalism faced what often felt like a terminal crisis in the 2010s, and it offered itself as the solution,” Darda said during his talk titled聽“Antiracism as Education: How Americans Learned to Read for Racial Change” in McKinnon Hall. “Crises elevate our desire for solutions. But what if it is our desire for solutions that creates the crises?鈥�

The event was organized by Dinidu Karunanayake, an assistant professor in the聽Department of English as a part of the department’s ongoing diversity, equity and inclusivity initiatives.聽The audience of the well-attended talk included students, their family members and faculty.

鈥淭he content of antiracist literature might not matter as much as the framing. The content might be radical. It might call for revolution,鈥� Darda added. 鈥淏ut the liberal channels through which it circulates tend to soften the edges, redirecting us to reading, reform, and the dream of a better tomorrow.鈥�

Critically reflecting on the arc of antiracist literary culture in the United States, from early 鈥渞ace novels鈥� such as Harriet Beecher Stowe鈥檚 “Uncle Tom鈥檚 Cabin” (1852) and Richard Wright鈥檚 “Native Son” (1940) to present-day bestsellers like Robin DiAngelo鈥檚 “White Fragility”聽(2018) and Ibram Kendi鈥檚 “How to Be an Antiracist”聽(2019), Darda highlighted pitfalls in 鈥渁ntiracist鈥� reading practices.

He built on James Baldwin鈥檚 critique of 鈥渞acial awakening鈥� as a time-centric linear trajectory 鈥� 鈥淎s long as [antiracist books] are being published, everything will be all right鈥� 鈥� and asserted the need to reevaluate how we situate, consume, teach and advance antiracism as education.

During his time at Elon, Darda took part in additional events. On Oct. 1, he had breakfast with a group of students enrolled in the course 鈥淧ostcolonial Asian Literature and Globalization,鈥� taught by Karunanayake. He then visited the class and engaged the students in a conversation about 鈥減ermanent war鈥� 鈥� a concept that he theorizes in his book “Empire of Defense.” Later that day, he hosted an informal聽conversation with English Department faculty about teaching DEI-centric topics as a White faculty member at a predominantly White institution.

鈥淚t is very rare that students are able to speak so openly聽with an expert in this field, and [Darda’s visit] was so insightful,鈥� said student Matisse Gilmore, who double majors in international and global studies and journalism, and minors in political science.

Lucas Leveillee and Stewart Mitchell, who are both English majors, echoed her views. 鈥淥pen and critical discussions on race, politics, policing and socioeconomic issues are beneficial to students鈥� understanding of these topics as they relate to literature,鈥� Stewart added.

Darda鈥檚 visit to Elon was co-sponsored by the Global Neighborhood, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, African and African-American Studies, the Office of the Provost, the Center for Race, Ethnicity, & Diversity Education, American Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Poverty and Social Justice and the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center.

You can watch the recording of the talk 鈥淎ntiracism as Education: How Americans Learned to Read for Racial Change” .