Race and Social Emotional Learning for Black Students in Urban Schooling Contexts

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has gained notable significance in educational research over the last three decades, and has been widely conjectured to promote students’ academic learning. In its initial construction and practice, however, SEL did not consider the indelible impact of anti-Black racism and dehumanization of Black people. This special issue convenes scholars from the fields of education, human development, and psychology who examine the ways in which race and racism mediate the social–emotional learning of Black youth, a significant portion of whom attend urban schools. Collectively, the articles in this Special Issue aim to broaden the scope and impact of SEL research.