S2 E09 - How Oxford College Confronts the Past to Build a Better Future Through Antiracist Curriculum (Part 1) - Peter McLellan

Digication Scholars Conversations

Peter McLellan joins host Jeff Yan to discuss his experiences leading the ePortfolio program at Oxford College of Emory University. Early in the conversation, Peter shares an explanation of his primary research interest, the field of Hauntology: “How do people that we don’t see, or people from the past . . . impact us in the present and make demands on us, oftentimes demands for justice, to create a better future?” Peter explains how Hauntology informs his efforts to create antiracist curriculum by taking seriously the knowledge and experiences that students bring with them to the university. The curriculum is designed for a majority non-white, lower income student body through an approach that carefully considers the demands of unseen individuals. The conversation continues with a discussion of faculty engagement, as Peter shares his past successes and strategies in convincing hesitant faculty members to adopt ePortfolio. “Portfolios sell themselves . . . So, it’s a matter of talking to folks about what a reflective and integrated curriculum looks like in the liberal arts.”