Introduction to Black Psychology

Psychological research often presents the experiences of Black Americans using a narrow, one-dimensional, and deficit-based lens. Further, many in society overlook or are unaware of the critical contributions Black psychologists have made in shaping federal policies many Americans benefit from today. In response to these concerns, this course will introduce students to relevant psychological scholarship by drawing from both historical and current arguments that center questions of identity development, wellbeing, goodness, and cultural strengths already present within Black communities. The goals of this course are to examine factors that inform the racialized lived experiences of Black Americans across the lifecourse, while also interrogating the structural forces that impede quality of life and other key health-related outcomes overtime.