Contextual Thinking (TEL)
Partner
Pacific School of Religion
Learning Pillar
Theological Imagination
Rigor Level
Medium
This course is one part of nine in the Theological Education for Leadership (TEL) Learning Path offered by PSR. It is one quarter of the full-term course of the same name and is considered the introduction to the introductory overview of Contextual Thinking. Grounded in Afro-feminist, activism, decolonial theories, and queer perspectives, this course equips participants with indispensable tools and language to narrate their stories, identify their location and contextualize them in light of their communities. It endeavors to foster meaningful discussions on racial injustice, inequality, storytelling, and empowerment.
Learning Objectives
In this TEL course, you will learn:
- Apply contextually based approaches to social issues, integrating skills and resources for effective communication, particularly as it related to colonialism, decolonialism, strong emotions and artivism.
- Cultivate spiritual practices that shape and sustain their work for racial justice.
- Lead communities in reflection about race and its intersections in diverse communities.
Course Components
Contextual Thinking (TEL)
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Definitions on Colonialism and Decolonial Thought
22 MinutesAssignmentLesson Locked -
Audre Lorde and the Uses of Anger
18 MinutesAssignmentLesson Locked -
Resistance and Resilience: The Transformative Power of Artivism
18 MinutesAssignmentLesson Locked -
Narrative on Linda Sarsour and What Is Your Jihad?
20 MinutesAssignmentLesson Locked
Features and Benefits
This area is dedicated to highlight the features and benefits of the course, providing potential students with compelling reasons to enroll.
How This Equips Faith Leaders
This section is dedicated to explaining how the course equips faith leaders with necessary tools and insights.

Contextual Thinking (TEL)
Taught by Dr. Alexandra Rosado-Román
Rooted in Afro-feminist, activist, decolonial, and queer theories, this course empowers participants with the tools and language to tell their own stories, understand their social location, and connect their experiences to their communities. Through critical dialogue, it fosters meaningful engagement with themes of racial injustice, inequality, storytelling, and empowerment.

Meet Your Instructor,
Dr. Alexandra Rosado-Román
Dr. Alexandra Rosado-Román is an Afro-Caribbean social ethicist whose research interests span Feminist Decolonial Theories, Diaspora Studies, and Spiritualities. As a scholar-activist, she's committed to unraveling colonial constructs' intricate workings—race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and citizenship—and their impact on racialized women in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Alexandra is an Assistant Professor of Gender Studies and Caribbean Decolonial Ethics at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. She's an integral part of a Bomba (Indigenous & Afro Puerto Rican music/dance) community dedicated to preserving and promoting Puerto Rican culture.