
FEATURED AUTHOR
Karen Gaffney
Dr. Karen Gaffney is Professor of English at Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey. She has presented at the White Privilege Conference, Netroots Nation, the American Studies Association, the Modern Language Association, and the Working Class Studies Association. Check out www.dividednolonger.com for her blog and resources. Her book, Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox, is an accessible and interdisciplinary introduction to race and racism with tools for action.
Biography
For more than ten years, Karen has been teaching an elective she designed, Race in American Literature and Popular Culture, which covers fundamental concepts like race as a social construct (and not biological) and the invention of race (including whiteness) in colonial America for purposes of power and control and divide and conquer. She has taught this course in prison, and she also adapted it for the community in a free version open to the public. Karen is also active in anti-racism work with various local groups, including the Hunterdon County Anti-Racism Coalition. Karen's book is aimed at both college students who need an introduction to basic concepts related to race and racism in the US as well as the general public.Education
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PhD, English, University of Delaware, 2003
BA, College of Letters, Wesleyan University, 1994
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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anti-racism activism, critical race theory, whiteness studies