2019 Summer Institute

Policy, Politics, and Privilege: The Prophetic Response to Racist Governance

In America, we have come full circle with our complicated selfhood as a nation. Once again, the hatemongers are killing us in our schools, killing us in the streets, killing us in our places of worship, killing us in our homes. The deep veins of racist governance can be felt in every pocket of this nation. Voter suppression, gerrymandering, privatization of education, resegregation, gentrification, eroding access to viable healthcare, the criminalization of poverty, militarized police brutality all serve as the tools and tactics of racist governance. What is our prophetic response?

Racial minorities face erasure through racist policies that target them. Politics run on a single track- a greed that excludes government for and by the people. Privilege gives rise to an uneven distribution of power, which distorts the meaning of justice for many. Should we just sit idly by singing kum bah yah? Or, should we be on the frontlines speaking truth to power? Truth is on trial. Truth deserves credible witnesses to save it from the arsenal of deceit disseminating from all manner of racist governance. Who shall we send? Who will go? This moment calls for bold witnesses. Join us May 20th-24th at Vanderbilt University Divinity School as we wrestle with the prophetic response to racist governance.

Cost + Applying to Summer Institute

  • EARLY BIRD (ends January 21): $300

  • $350: General Admission

  • $250: Alumni

  • $175: Students

  • $125 Current Vanderbilt Divinity Student

VU students can waive the registration fee if taking the course for credit. Non-VU students are eligible for the student discount. Non-VU students must apply for non-degree admission with the Admissions office and will have to follow this process:

Non-Degree Students and Auditors

Students who do not intend to enroll in a degree program may register for a limited number of courses as an auditor or as a non-degree student.

Applying as a Non-Degree Student

Non-degree students at Vanderbilt Divinity School must apply using the non-degree online application. Non-degree students may register by permission of the Academic Dean. They receive academic credit and a transcript for their coursework but are not eligible to receive financial aid.

Steps to Apply as a Non-Degree Student: (A printable version may be found HERE.)

  1. Initiate a Non-Degree student application online: apply.vanderbilt.edu .

  2. Alert the Office of Admissions that your non-degree application has been initiated. Our office will manually waive many of the regular application requirements to expedite submission.

  3. Complete the specific application requirements for the non-degree application.