Department of English

Mission Statement

The Black Cultural Studies Collective (BCSC) is an interdisciplinary working group committed to critically engaging the literatures, cultures, and histories of African-descended people across the diaspora. Informed by the political and ethical principles of black studies and black feminist practices, BCSC prioritizes thinking in public as a process for collaborative education. To us, this is a radical and life-sustaining act in the face of global anti-black oppression.

Though housed at the University of Pennsylvania, BCSC[1] serves as a student-led, critical learning space where our members can foster an intellectual community of mutual support that extends beyond the university. In doing so, we seek to honor various ways of knowing and sources of knowledge. To accomplish this, we believe our vision must be carried out in multiple spaces, and seek to create a digital platform for outreach, collaboration and preservation that beyond the boundaries of any one campus or city. Collectively, we will create accessible opportunities for critical reading and discussion safe from judgement, competition, or non-constructive criticism.

We welcome the participation and collaboration of any individuals in the Philadelphia community who share these interests. 

[1] The Black Cultural Studies Collective sponsored and coordinated jointly by the English and Africana Studies departments.

Email: bcscollectiveupenn@gmail.com