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When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age

  • Making Worlds Bookstore & Social Center 210 South 45th Street Philadelphia, PA, 19104 United States (map)

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When the Hood Comes Off: Rob Eschmann in Conversation with David A. Love

Join us as we dive into the profound insights of "When the Hood Comes Off" by Rob Eschmann, in conversation with Desmond Patton. "When the Hood Comes Off" examines the alarming manifestations of online racism and the innovative antiracist tactics rising to combat it. Through rigorous research and captivating personal narratives, Eschmann explores the impact of online racism on communities of color and society at large. Don't miss this timely opportunity to explore the unexpected power of digital technologies, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and discover how we can respond to the wake-up call of online racism.

About the Speakers:

Rob Eschmann is a writer, scholar, filmmaker, and educator from Chicago. He is Associate Professor of Social Work and a member of the Data Science Institute at Columbia University, as well as Faculty Associate at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.

Desmond Upton Patton, a pioneer in the interdisciplinary fusion of social work, communications, and data science, is the Brian and Randi Schwartz University Professor, with joint appointments in the School of Social Policy & Practice and the Annenberg School for Communication along with a secondary appointment in the department of psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine.

David A. Love is a professor, journalist and commentator who writes op-eds and investigative stories on a variety of issues, including politics, social justice, human rights, race, criminal justice and inequality. As Assistant Teaching Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information, Love trains students in a social justice journalism lab called Media, Movements and Community Engagement. He also teaches courses such as Media Ethics and the Law, Gender, Race and Class in the Media, and Journalism and Social Issues. He has also taught at the Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication in the Media Studies and Production Department.

About the Book:

From cell phone footage of police killing unarmed Black people to leaked racist messages and even comments from friends and family on social media, online communication exposes how racism operates in a world that pretends to be colorblind. In When the Hood Comes Off, Rob Eschmann blends rigorous research and engaging personal narrative to examine the effects of online racism on communities of color and society, and the unexpected ways that digital technologies enable innovative everyday tools of antiracist resistance.

Drawing on a wealth of data, including interviews with students of Color around the country and analyses of millions of social media posts over the past decade, Eschmann investigates the influence of online communication on face-to-face interactions. When the Hood Comes Off highlights the power of the internet as an organizing tool, and shows that online racism can be a profound wake-up call. How will we respond?