Practicing our principles

I am pleased that The Chronicle is interested in my course, "The South in Black and White," which has 350 students from Duke, NCCU, UNC and the local community. Provost Peter Lange calls the course "in principle, a very cool and dynamic idea," but the editorial board of The Chronicle have their doubts "in practice" ("Interdisciplinarity, but at a cost?" Feb. 13). The Chronicle decries the "vexing logistical problems" the course's meeting place supposedly creates, when Duke provides door-to-door bus service. It takes five minutes longer than the East-West bus. The editorial board says the location may "dissuade as many students as it attracts." Meanwhile, Chronicle reporters say Duke students are "posing as community members" to gain admission. If students are scamming their way into the class, I guess they are not put off by a 10-minute bus ride. Not that we should be using a marketing model, but perhaps the numbers reflect interest in the subject matter.

I agree with the editors that not all courses should be this large. But most of us attend churches, conventions, concerts and other gatherings even larger. In some cases-hoops at Cameron Indoor Stadium, for example-the crowd is an integral part of the experience. Most of us don't consider this an either/or question; sometimes we go on dates, sometimes we go to block parties. One size does not need to fit all. My writing seminar has a dozen students and I prize them just as much. In "The South in Black and White," the diversity of the student body, much of it provided by Duke students themselves, incidently, is an asset. We're having excellent discussions in class and online. One of the country's best gospel singers is teaching us 25 songs, which we treat seriously as texts. The spirituals, the gospel and the blues are as rich and subtle as Dante or Shakespeare. We're seeing a play in class and then discussing it with the author face to face. Local civil rights activists and the scholars who have written about them are discussing their histories with all of us. We read much and hear many voices.

A curious reporter asked me if it bothered me that some Duke students were "posing as community members" in order to obtain sought-after seats. My first reaction was a perplexed chuckle. But maybe it's good to have Duke students pretending to be local citizens, since that is what they are. I suspect we're all learning something as we try to put our principles into practice.

Timothy Tyson

Senior Scholar, Center for Documentary Studies;

Visiting Professor of American Christianity and Southern Culture; Adjunct Professor of History