October–December 2020 — The three-part series Hacking the Syllabus: Critical Solidarities shared powerful perspectives of educator-activists and resources they’ve created, syllabi, to democratize access to and disseminate paths for learning. The series explored building solidarities through an intersectional lens and engaged various disciplines, including dance as well as gender and Asian American studies. Professors illuminated a key concept from their syllabus through a brief lecture, followed by a conversation with a fellow leader in their respective field.

Featured speakers include Dr. Alisa Bierria, adrienne maree brown, Dr. Ananya Chatterjea, Dr. Thomas F. DeFrantz, Dr. Scott Kurashige, and Dr. Nadine Naber.

We welcome you to explore the resources from this series. Please find a summary of each event below, which includes the event recording and links to syllabi.

Hacking the Syllabus: Critical Solidarities was presented as part of the programming for the inaugural Asia Society Triennial: We Do Not Dream Alone and organized by Sarah McCaffery, manager, interdisciplinary arts.

October 19, 2020 — Dr. Ananya Chatterjea, choreographer, dancer, and professor of theatre arts and dance at the University of Minnesota, delivered her lecture How Do We Dance Now? Moving in Alignment with the Uprising. Following the lecture, Dr. Chatterjea was joined in conversation with Dr. Thomas F. DeFrantz, professor in the Department of African and African American Studies and the Dance Program at Duke University.

Explore Dr. Chatterjea’s syllabus Minneapolis Uprising 2020: Lessons From the Field & Practices for Solidarity-Building via Artistic Practice.

Visit the event page for additional information and full biographies of the speakers.

November 18, 2020 — Dr. Nadine Naber, professor in the Gender and Women's Studies Program and the Global Asian Studies Program at the University of Illinois, Chicago, delivered her lecture The Radical Potential of Mothering for Abolition, Anti-Militarism, and Transnational Feminist Solidarity. Following the lecture, Dr. Naber was joined in conversation with Dr. Alisa Bierria, assistant professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Riverside.

Explore Dr. Naber’s syllabus: Feminism and Social Change.

Visit the event page for additional information and full biographical information of the speakers.

December 11, 2020 — Dr. Scott Kurashige, professor and chair in the Department of Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies at Texas Christian University delivered his lecture Representation to Revolution: What Asian American Studies Can Teach Us About Systems of Oppression. Following the lecture, Dr. Kurashige was joined in conversation with writer/activist/scholar adrienne maree brown.

Explore Dr. Kurashige’s syllabus: Racism and Anti-Racism in Asian America.

Visit the event page for additional information and full biographies of the speakers.