From Roach Powder to Radical Humanism: Professor Derrick Bell's 'Critical' Constitutional Pedagogy

Abstract:     
This essay is a tribute to the late Professor Derrick Bell, who passed away on October 5, 2011. The author was the Derrick Bell Fellow at New York University School of Law in 2009-10 and assisted Professor Bell in teaching his constitutional law courses. The essay discusses Professor Bell's 'critical' constitutional and life pedagogy, by giving illustrations from Professor Bell's classes and anecdotes from several of his former students. It highlights not only Professor Bell's comprehensive approach to constitutional law, but also the "radical humanism" he brought to teaching and mentoring students.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 5

Keywords: Derrick Bell, constitutional law, law pedagogy, radical humanism, education

JEL Classification: K10, K19, K30, K39

Accepted Paper Series