BA in Philosophy

The members of the Philosophy Department at Skidmore College condemn the killings by police and vigilantes of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, among many others. We also condemn structural racism and the entrenched systems of inequality of which these killings, perpetrated amid a pandemic that has disproportionally affected communities of color, are only the most recent and virulent symptoms. We support the social movements that highlight these injustices and work for change. Restructuring the police and using public funds to reduce inequality, to support community health, and to foster anti-racism are small steps towards justice that we endorse. Many of us are currently engaged as citizens in political actions aimed at transforming these deep-rooted systems of racism. As teachers and as a department, we recognize the suffering, loss, and outrage of our Black students brought about by systemic racism, and we stand in solidarity with them. Structural problems afflict higher education institutions too, and we are resolved to do our part to address them. Among other actions, we pledge (1) to help recruit, retain, and support more faculty and students of color at our college and in our department, and to work as their allies; (2) to redouble our efforts to diversify and expand our curriculum; (3) to critically examine white supremacy, economic exploitation, and related relationships of domination with an eye to end them; and (4) in all of our discussions, to listen to and prioritize the voices and experiences of the members of our community most negatively affected by structural racism and oppression.