Get to Know...Andrea Benjamin and Kalenda Eaton

Can you talk a little bit about your decision to come to OU?

“I’m a political scientist, and when I first got asked to apply for this job I was a little bit nervous just because I’ve always focused strictly on Political Science.  However, I have an undergraduate degree in African and African American Studies and it had always been a goal of mine to teach that subject. I feel like this subject gives me such a breadth in the way I was able to think about things. I ended up coming to OU so I could focus on African American studies, a subject I am truly passionate about.”

Where did your interests in African and African American studies begin?

“Going into college, I knew I was going to be a political science major However, first quarter, I took intro to Africa and African American Studies and 10 weeks later I just knew I was going to have to double major. For me, all of the information that I learned in that intro class, was all really new to me. To know that there is such a breadth of experience for black people in this country, it made me just want to learn more. My hope at OU, is that when I teach my classes, that students will realize that there are a lot of things we don’t talk about in regards to African American culture.  I want to expose my students to as much information as I can, in hopes that they become more interested in it.”

I'd like to hear more about your research interests. Especially if they have changed or evolved since your teaching has changed and since you've come to OU.

“I’m currently working on a book about representation in local politics and so in that sense my research won’t change, but I could see my next project changing a little bit just given the department I’m in. I do believe in some ways what we teach has feedback on our research. When I teach a class, it allows me to really focus on that subject, so because I switched subject areas my research will definitely shift.  However, I do plan to continue to focus on political science, specifically the subject of race and politics in cities.”

What classes are you teaching?

“Last semester, I taught African American Politics and Public Policy and I taught The Black Athlete in America Both classes were amazing and I loved my students and the discussions we had.  Next fall, I’m hoping to teach Black Politics and Public Policy again, and I would love to have the opportunity to work with the political science department. I am also supposed to teach Research Methods next fall, and I am really excited about that. I’m planning on having my students cover the presidential election and think about different ways of investigating the questions they have.”

What can students expect from your classes?

“I think the main points that students should know is that we’re going to learn a lot and it’s going to be rigorous. There’s going to be a lot of reading, but I know that every one of my students is capable of doing well in my class. We’re going to work really hard but I that encourages my students to be more engaged and interested in the subject matter. I also want my students to know that I’m learning from them, every student brings new ideas into the classroom and together we can.”

What have you enjoyed most about OU so far?

“I’ve had really good students and that is always really special to me. In my African American Politics and Public Policy class, my students were all really active on campus and they helped me learn about a lot of places that I could get involved in. I’ve also really been enjoying this campus. It is absolutely beautiful; even yesterday, to take a break I just walked around campus. On a more fun note, I am thrilled to be teaching at Blake Griffin’s alma mater. A fun fact about me is that I got my cat in 2009, the same year

Blake was the number one draft pick in the NBA. While searching for a name for my cat, I mentioned Blake Griffin in a conversation and my cat suddenly starting responding to the name. I think it is probably fate that I ended up at OU 11 years later.”

What are you looking forward to in your coming years at OU?

“Some long-term goals I have are wanting to shift to a different type of engagement with the community. The book that I’m currently writing is about the power of an organized community.  What this means is that usually, those who are the most organized are the loudest. Another goal would be working towards getting the students more involved in the community. Helping my students learn to use their skills to support the community and their demands.  The university’s emphasis on engaged scholarship is one of the things that really drew to me to the university, and I would really like to contribute to that.” 

Can you talk a little bit about your decision to join the faculty at OU and how your transition has been?

“I was on the faculty at my previous institution for nine years, so the decision to leave and come to OU was very hard. As a professor of African American Literature by training and profession, my work has always been a part of African and African American studies. So, I was excited about the opportunity to lend my scholarly and administrative expertise to a growing Department. Also, there were no full-time literature faculty in the Department, so it was really appealing to be able to offer Africana literature and cultural studies courses in that environment. I saw a lot of potential for growth in the African and African American Studies department at OU.  

How did you end up choosing your field of study?

“I studied English as an undergraduate, and had the fortune to be taught by many professors who were passionate about African and/or African American literary studies.  A lot of our elective choices in college fell into those categories and as I advanced in the major I became very interested in potential areas of study past the Bachelor’s degree. Prior to that, I grew up in a family where my mother had a large library of books representing African American literature and experience that I would read. So, I was exposed to the writings from a young age. When I went to graduate school, I decided that I wanted to stay with English literature but focus on African American and Women’s Studies within that discipline.”

I'd like to hear more about your research interests. Have they changed or evolved since coming to OU?

“My research is interdisciplinary, but primarily resides within African American literature, American Western studies, and womanist theory. I also work in a subfield of African diaspora studies. The book project I am currently finishing is an analysis of western historical fiction written by black women writers. I have been working in Black western studies for close to 20 years. My research focus hasn’t changed since I've been here, but I do have more opportunities to dive into the Western History Collection, as well as work with OU’s digital librarians.

What classes are you teaching and what about them excites you?

“I’m teaching a course I designed called “Womanism and Black Feminism.”  It gives the students an opportunity to think about not only black feminist thought, but is also another way of thinking about activism in terms of womanism. We discuss how the frameworks are aligned, but also have separate goals. The other class that I am teaching is a general education course called “Africa and The Diaspora.” I have a really good group of students in all of my courses, and I think that we’re going to have a really good time in that class. Depending on the professor, it gets taught differently, but my focus is more cultural studies and literary studies. They are going to learn about history, contemporary social issues, global pop culture among other things. I’m really looking forward to our upcoming discussions.”

What can students expect in your classes?

They can expect an intense engagement with the material. The topics that I teach are huge, and most of them span hundreds of years. We only have 16 weeks or so, which means there’s only so much that we can cover. But I want them to have this very focused, intense experience where they are engaged with these texts. I try to make sure the texts that I assign really get them thinking. I also incorporate digital media in different ways. A lot of my courses are historically based, but not limited to the time period – rather how does the history you are learning inform the present? How does it connect to what we’re doing now? My courses are a mixture of lecture and discussion. I want my students to know that I am there to participate with them.”