Information Literacy Toolkit

Question

Have you ever seen this image before? What does "woke" mean? What is the context for this photo?

Read this article about the history and development of the word “woke."

How 'Woke' Went from Black Activist Watchword to Teen Internet Slang

Comprehension Questions:

• What is this article about?

• How has the meaning of the word “woke” changed over time?

• What does it currently mean?

Discussion Questions

• Do you agree with the author's assessment that "woke" has changed its meaning as it’s been co-opted by white, mainstream culture?

• Can you think of any other examples where where words have changed their meaning? How about examples where words have been co-opted?

• Do you think it would be easy to find scholarly work on the term “woke”?

• Why is understanding the history of words like “woke” important?

Imagine

Imagine that you have to do an assignment on the concept of “being woke” based on its most recent definition, but you are finding it difficult to find sources. What are some of the main themes or topics that you could research that are related?

Activity 

Start a concept map with the term woke in the middle. Think of synonyms, related concepts, relevant authorities (eg. an important author or expert), discipline-specific terms, and so on. Add these terms in a circle around your central idea.

These might be useful as keywords when beginning research. Finding related terms, and being able to determine where research is available, is a research skill that you will use on a regular basis. 

Question

What makes it difficult to search for a recent and evolving term like woke?