As UWC educators and students, a part of our work is teaching and learning about injustice. Slavery is one of the greatest injustices of the past and something that continues today, with an estimated 50 million people enslaved in the world. Unfortunately, modern slavery exists in the shadows, with most people either unaware or unwilling to talk about it. This is why I decided to start a course focusing on slavery so that young people can learn about it and help fight against it.
Slavery Studies is a multi-disciplinary course where we study slavery from as many perspectives as possible. The course uses history, literature, social science, economics, arts and philosophy to come to a sophisticated understanding of slavery. We learn about historical and contemporary slavery and focus on many different parts of the world, including India, the Americas, and the Middle East. The course is quite academic and very diverse, but it always stays morally grounded and aims to leave students empowered to participate in the fight to end slavery.
Last year, Slavery Studies was made available online for the first time as a UWC summer short course. 18 students from all around the world met for a week to study and learn about slavery. Students engaging in difficult readings, discussions and case studies. We had online lectures from human rights professor Laura Murphy, English barrister Catherine Haughey, and several other distinguished guests. It was an intense week, which students described as being transformative, and something which fills a gap in traditional education.
This year the Slavery Studies UWC online summer short course will be happening again from June 12th – 23rd. We have made some exciting changes to the course, including better historical case studies and personal research projects. This year we will be focusing on the theme of rehabilitation for survivors of slavery. Rehabilitation is vital because history is full of examples of people who have found freedom only to be abandoned again. Ending cycles of dependence and poverty takes work. Still, it is achievable, and many organizations around the world work to help to empower survivors of modern slavery and to give them the dignity which they had been denied. One such organization is Survivors Alliance, and we are very excited to be hosting an online guest lecture from Minh Dang, the co-founder of Survivors Alliance, as a part of our course.
Slavery is a heavy topic, and this course is not for the faint of heart. We will be reading extensive descriptions of oppression, racism, and violence and confronting some of humanity’s worst aspects. But we will also learn about how these injustices can be overcome. As one student last year put it, “Beyond becoming a more informed student, or a more prepared scholar, we need to study slavery to pursue our humanity.”
We are looking for students from 16-18 years old who are willing to spend two weeks this summer learning and engaging on the topic of slavery. The course will cater to people in multiple time zones, so location shouldn’t be a barrier to anyone. However, a good internet connection is required, and students must also be proficient in reading and talking in English. We welcome students from diverse backgrounds, and a limited number of scholarships are available.
