{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Unravelling","title":"The psychology of the Black experience","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2523,"description":"In this episode of Unravelling, Kurt White sits down with Professor Nnamdi Pole, Harold and Elsa Israel Professor of Psychology and Chair of the Psychology Department at Smith College, to discuss his course, The Psychology of the Black Experience. Professor Pole shares insights from his long-running course, delving into the role of psychology in understanding Black identity, collective experiences, and the impact of systemic forces like racism.\nThe conversation unpacks the origins of Black psychology as a response to scientific racism, which historically justified stereotypes of Black inferiority through flawed studies on IQ, skull sizes, and other biased metrics. Professor Pole traces the emergence of the Association of Black Psychologists and discusses the two major strands of Black psychology—one that counters racism by centering Black experiences, and another that explores pre-colonial African psychological traditions, emphasizing collectivism, spirituality, and alternative concepts of selfhood.\nThe discussion also tackles the evolving definition of race, the spectrum of racism from unconscious biases to systemic discrimination, and the challenges of teaching about race in a classroom with both Black and non-Black students. Professor Pole critiques colorblind ideologies, advocating instead for a pluralistic society where diverse identities are recognized and valued.\nMany special thanks to Northfire Recording Studio in Amherst, MA, which provided space and equipment for our recording of this episode!\nLinks: \nProfessor Pole is available to do public speaking and/or diversity training in person or remotely for schools, clinical settings, or corporate settings. You can reach him at npole@smith.edu.\nHe suggests the following textbook and supplementary readings if you'd like to learn more:\nTextbook: Belgrave, F.Z. & Allison, K.W. (2019). African American Psychology: From Africa to America (4th Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.\nKahn, K. B., & McMahon, J. M. (2015)....","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/DFv_jsT4dlZe1uqhWp5KSBDMc3cIxdIxVJhA07fsEN4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81NWY1/MWYzNzgwZGIwNmEy/NWNmM2U4N2U3MDA3/NTAwMy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}