Key Concepts Used in MCS 210 African American Humanities
Humanities
 a discipline based in interdisciplinary interpretative approaches
which attempts to express and understand the experience of being
human;
 a group of disciplines that seek to explore dimensions of human
experience and understand its meaning through interpretative
perspectives. Among the disciplines commonly assigned to the
humanities are:
Culture
 a whole way of life
 the total pattern of human behavior and its embodiment in thought,
speech, action & artifacts(human made objects). It is dependent on
human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding
generations through the use of tools, language and systems of abstract
thought
 the complex whole including knowledge, beliefs, morals, customs,
opinions, religion and art
Material culture
 human made objects or artifacts
Worldview
 a culturally based system of thought which provides a framework for
making sense out of the world. It is a way of viewing life that shapes a
thought process for action.
Diaspora
 refers to the dispersion of a racial/ethnic group throughout the world
Africa
 2nd largest continent composed of hundreds of ethnic groups speaking
thousands of languages
 thought to be the birthplace of human beings
New World
 a term anchored in Western European perspectives referring to the
Western Hemisphere—North, Central & South America and the
Caribbean
Aesthetic
 a culturally based framework of key beliefs, values, traditions and
strategies that undergirds organizing principles and resources for
stimulating the senses through expressive behavior.
Race
 an arbitrary classification system used to group people based on skin
color and physical characteristics.
 Race has no basis in biological fact. Humans all belong to the same
species and the genetic variation within racial groups is greater than
between them.
 Race, as a concept, does have social consequences.
Prejudice
 Preconceived judgments without just grounds, sufficient knowledge or
due examination. (beliefs)
Discrimination
 To treat unequally; to make a difference in treatment based on
prejudices. (actions)
Stereotypes
 Standardized images based on oversimplified opinions and uncritical
judgments held in common by a group about the appearance, behavior
or other characteristics of another group. (images)
Oppression
 The systematic subjugation of a disempowered group by a group with
social power.
Social Power
 The access to and control of resources and people needed to get and
influence what you want and need.
Privilege
 Unearned special advantage, immunity, permission or benefits granted to
or ejoyed by individuals or groups which confers and maintains social
power
Racism
 One form of oppression
 The systematic subjugation of a group with stigmatized skin color and
physical characteristics by a group with social power anchored in
privileged skin color and physical characteristics.
Ideology
 A system of assumptions, theories, and beliefs which support,
rationalize, reinforce and justify political, economic and social power
arrangements.