Throughlines
A college classroom should be a place where students and teachers try out new ideas.
Reimagining the premodern studies classroom
Throughlines is a free, open access resource for pedagogical materials that helps educators of premodern studies discuss issues of race in their classrooms. Specifically designed for use in higher education, the materials on Throughlines include lectures, pedagogical approaches, exemplar syllabi, classroom discussion models, an annotated bibliography and more.
Get started
Teaching with the heat turned down
The litany of legislation against critical race theory has bred a chilling effect on all discussions of race and racism in classrooms across the United States. But research shows that students are hungry for conversations about complex topics and social issues—they want their classroom experience to feel relevant to their lives. The premodern studies classrooms might be a particularly ripe place for these conversations because they arrive unexpectedly. No one takes a Shakespeare class expecting to talk about the complexities and polarizations of our society today. And yet, by pinpointing these moments in the premodern past as places to discuss race and racial difference, professors can lead discussions on the issues students are most eager to talk about—with the heat turned down.
In the news
Curricula development needs assessment
In 2021, ACMRS collected information from scholars who teach courses in premodern studies to help determine the direction and focus of content for Throughlines. The results of this survey and all other data collected during the RaceB4Race: Sustaining, Building Innovating project is freely available. We hope this information will help other programs, educators, and researchers develop resources that support a different, more inclusive, future for premodern studies.