Department of Anthropology - UC Santa Barbara

A Call for Reform

We recognize and condemn the persistent racism in the United States, perpetrated against Black Americans and other people of color. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and too many others highlight how policing in the United States is rooted in anti-blackness and white supremacy. This is not only tragic; it is deeply unjust. We are profoundly saddened by their deaths and we know that these events are just the most recent of a very long and deeply painful history of racialized state violence and institutionalized white supremacy. We stand in solidarity with our Black faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students. We recognize the legacies of colonialism, settler colonialism, racism, and white supremacy in the history and development of our discipline, and are committed to fight against systems of oppression and to provide a forum for difficult and important conversations while centering the voices and perspectives of those who have been excluded and marginalized. We understand that a person’s social and political identities might combine to create unique kinds of discrimination and injustice and will work tirelessly to advance social justice and demand action against power relations that result in oppression. The Department of Anthropology commits to the collective effort to build a just and inclusive society in our classrooms, laboratories, field sites, and communities. 

To see our Action Plan, click here.