If you’re someone who wants to learn about how history impacts the present, systemic issues and what you can do to help, look no further than Foundations of Global White Supremacy and Dehumanization, or TJ200.
It is a new class introduced with the Transformative Justice minor in 2026. The class provides Elizabethtown College students with the background and tools to “address and break generational cycles of trauma, marginalization, and harm” (Etown Course Catalog). It also counts as a Non-Western History core.
When you hear the words “white supremacy,” you likely think of something extreme like hate groups, racial violence or cruel cases of discrimination. While the phrasing is intimidating, the language is intentional. Understanding white supremacy means looking beyond obvious examples and examining the systems, ideas and history that has affected people across centuries and countries.
The class is purposefully titled in a way that prepares students for the class content. There is no subterfuge or a spy pretending to be undercover with a dramatic twist at the end. What you see is what you get, and for good reason! The class covers some heavy content and frequently handles controversial and sensitive topics for the sake of students broadening their worldview.
The class is taught by Dr. Hayley-Mize, who happens to be the advisor for the Transformative Justice minor.
She crafts an environment in which students are simultaneously critical of their own biases but compassionate and nonjudgemental towards others, even if they disagree.
During the first class, she passed out a list of ‘classroom rules’ to follow such as, holding space for diverse experiences, approaching with curiosity instead of judgement, and showing up authentically. I think that the environment is the core reason for why TJ200 is such a transformative (pun genuinely not intended) class to take.
I love how Dr. Hayley-Mize challenges me to challenge what I thought that I knew.
Furthermore, the class looks to challenge students to hold two truths at one time. This applies to various concepts but is especially evident in the class’ critique of colonialism and racism and the simultaneous acknowledgment of how the majority white class benefited from slavery.
TJ200 also gives students ample opportunities to talk about their opinions instead of relying on lectures. The class is very collaborative. I think this was the best format for the class rather than a lecture format because it allows people to develop their opinions collaboratively instead of in a vacuum.
One of my favorite assignments from the class is what Dr. Hayley-Mize called, a “Civic Gym.” Basically, we answered a brief survey with our political views and got matched with another student from a different school who may disagree with us. The goal of the conversation was to find common ground and practice having respectful disagreements.
I couldn’t recommend TJ200 more than I already have. This class has been the highlight of my Tuesdays and Thursdays and Dr. Hayley-Mize is a wonderful professor. If the class appeals to you at all, take the dive and put it in your schedule next fall.
