Most of the readings for this module are from Eddie Glaude, except one from John Dewey. They all flow together nicely and work as Eddie Glaude brings John Dewey and other scholars into his writings. The first article, “Towards a New Individualism” by John Dewey, focused on the changes we have seen in America from old individualism to a new individualism. He focused on a remaking of society that has been the driving power of America and the enthusiasm of a new generation. Dewey’s answer to the success of those thriving was education, and that the government should focus more on helping individuals attain education so they could help sustain and build up their communities. “In a Shade of Blue,” by Eddie Glaude, focused on the silence of race in the United States. He gives the example of Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, where tragedy and evil are understood to be a part of the mortal exigencies of life. The reality of life and race have shaped this country in such a way that we would rather erase the past than confront it, thus making books like those written by Toni Morrison all the more powerful and important for future generations. We also read two chapters in “An Uncommon Faith,” also written by Eddie Glaude. In chapter 1, he talks about Pragmatism and African American Religion in general. He explains that a pragmatist will look for concrete facts, action, and power, but when it comes to religion, a pragmatist will usually question dogma as it is not evidence-based. He brings Dewey into his writings here as well as James Baldwin, Cornel West, and W.E.B. Du Bois, as they all have different views on pragmatism and African American religion. In chapter 3, Glaude talks about meliorism, piety, double consciousness, and Chastened Pragmatic Religious Naturalism, which fascinated me.
The last two concepts above were presented originally by W.E.B. Du Bois, and Glaude believes that Du Bois provides a great point of view that is similar between John Dewey and James Baldwin and is thus worth talking about. I really liked both of them and think they can still be seen today in a lot of ways. Double consciousness is an internal conflict concept talked about by Du Bois in 1903. African Americans were rejected by American life, yet they had a strong desire to be included in it. This created huge psychological struggles in a culture that was dominated by oppression, humiliation, racism, and conversion to a white man's religion. Du Bois was aware of the divide between his world and the world around him and that it could be saved depending on the choices, actions, and efforts of individuals (meliorism). “The natural world is diseased, distorted, deformed, and not naturally but by human actions toward black people”. Du Bois knew that the black man had always been controlled by others and that his destiny and identity had never been his own. “The world we inhabit can be saved, the hell black folks catch can be undone if we only act (without guarantee of satisfactory outcomes).” I think this entire concept can be tied back to the first article by John Dewey, “Towards a New Individualism,” as he believes that education can be a strong indicator of control and power in your community for change. We need to make sure every generation, no matter your race or status, is educated on the past, including the tragedies and evils of slavery that existed in America, as this will create a more informed, empathetic, and cultured future society for all.
Sources:
Dewey, J (1930). Individualism Old and New. Minton, Balch & Company.
Glaude, E. S., Jr. (2018). An Uncommon faith: A pragmatic approach to the study of African American religion. University of Georgia Press.
Glaude, E. S., Jr. (2007). In a Shade of blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America. University of Chicago Press.
[Written for SOC 4100 class UVU Spring 2025]
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