In a nonsensical move, a geology professor recently published a dissertation that guides fellow faculty members on how to “interrogate” and remove the “whiteness” that is supposedly embedded within their field.
James Hobbs is a professor of geology at Tarrant County College, where he also serves as the chair of his department. His 214-page dissertation, which was published by the University of Texas at Austin, claims that the current geoscience curriculum marginalizes non-white perspectives and reinforces “systemic racism.”
Hobbs argues that traditional geoscience education is “fundamentally flawed” due to its “white ways of knowing.” He adds that, “geoscience education has long perpetuated a singular perspective that serves as a mechanism for reinforcing existing power structures rooted in white supremacy.”
Even faculty members who consider themselves to be “woke,” or intentional about their “anti-racist” teaching goals, are apparently susceptible to their inherent biases and constraints from their superiors. Hobbs claims, “Faculty may face institutional constraints and personal biases that might further impede the necessary change for transformative change.”
The professor interviewed dozens of faculty members throughout the U.S. to argue that their field must be radically restructured to remove whiteness from its roots.
“Meritocracy and individualism are seen to be mechanisms through which white people are unable to perceive the privileges associated with their whiteness,” he wrote. Instead, he seemingly proposes that merit-based hiring in the field of geology be replaced with racial hiring quotas.
He also claims that white students harbor “a sense of exaggerated self-importance” that results in them being prioritized in geology courses, while non-white students “face diminished classroom engagement.”
