“This is America”: Who are We and What Can We Learn from Childish Gambino in the Twittersphere?

We are in a moment in which a ‘culture war’—in large part about race—has been ignited and is being stoked daily by activists across the political spectrum and by the President of the United States himself. This high stakes culture war is playing out across digital media in ways that we need to better understand.

Please join us for a conversation about Childish Gambino’s “This is America” and the sprawling, contentious conversation it sparked across the internet. What is he trying to say? How did the internet respond? How are our meaning making practices evolving? Why does culture matter so much now to so many, and who gets to decide what it means?

Come talk to humanities scholars Megan Ankerson (communication studies), Anita Gonzalez (theater), Robin Wilson (dance), Stephen Berrey (American culture & history), and moderator Angela Dillard (Afroamerican and African studies & Residential College) about these questions and others you might have about Childish Gambino’s America and yours.