Third World Studies: Theorizing Liberation

by Gary Y. Okihiro

In 1968 the Third World Liberation Front at San Francisco State College demanded the creation of a Third World studies program to counter the existing curricula that ignored issues of power—notably, imperialism and oppression. The administration responded by institutionalizing an ethnic studies program; Third World studies was over before it began. Detailing the field's genesis and premature death, Gary Y. Okihiro presents an intellectual history of ethnic studies and Third World studies and shows where they converged and departed by identifying some of their core ideas, concepts, methods, and theories. In so doing, he establishes the contours of a unified field of study—Third World studies—that pursues a decolonial politics by examining the human condition broadly, especially in regard to oppression, and critically analyzing the locations and articulations of power as manifested in the social formation. Okihiro's framing of Third World studies moves away from ethnic studies' liberalism and its U.S.-centrism to emphasize the need for complex thinking and political action in the drive for self-determination. 

Genres: Race

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 28, 2016

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, so it’s basically intersectionality? Well why didn’t ya say so!

[Alyssa Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

adding my school books now CUZ I DESERVE IT 😹😹😹 guys this book, as far as theory books go, was pretty good and really resonated with me. The history he talks about reminded me of Zinn’s A People’s History. was a great primer for This Current Moment and what we should do going forward.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Gary Okihiro's book Third World Studies: Theorizing Liberation, I wish I had read it as a student -- but it's not been out too long, so I can't be too sad about that. I wanted to give it to everyone I know though, just because of the brilliant ways it pulled together so much of what I've been struggling with while also recalibrating my perspective on world history and important events the same way that Vijay Prahad's work helps me do. I would love to teach it, perhaps one day I will have the chance. A very different kind of view of a global world and struggle from Wallerstein's, though it finds his work useful and builds on it in interesting ways. But this history of the Third World Liberation Front, the struggle to develop Third World Studies and the theory thereby generated is fantastic, above all how it can serve as a foundation for how we theorise and fight for liberation today.

I take notes on things and blog them in a fairly boring fashion, but if you want more you can find it here

[Evy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational, comprehensive, interesting.
Very difficult to read. The rhetoric was very confusing at times - sometimes it was unclear whether the author was expressing an opinion that he himself held, or if he was expressing someone else's opinion in order to critique it later. Very dry in that way.
I especially appreciated the chapter about education. It provided some insights concerning the connection between white supremacy and education that were really interesting to consider and think about.

[Bella stardust]

3.5-4⭐️
provided a lot of context but like did not define what makes third world studies in practice. i know academia (academia on the left) purposefully doesn’t define things so we can interpret on our own and sometimes we genuinely don’t know.
I really appreciated the recognition of how much space “Chicago Ethnic Studies”, which is the bastardized version of Third World Studies in the mainstream.

[Karis · Rating 5 out of 5]

great primer that i'll definitely end up assigning when i start teaching !! also v looking forward to the new edition coming out this year