Rap on Trial in a Global Classroom: Exploring Race, Hip-Hop, and Mass Incarceration Through Virtual Exchange Pedagogy

This study presents a qualitative case analysis of a cross-national Virtual Exchange (VE) classroom that connects undergraduate students in the Southeastern United States and Colombia through a course titled "Rap on Trial." Designed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the course investigates the practice of using rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials—a legal strategy that disproportionately affects young men of color and reinforces racialized patterns of incarceration. Through a digital pedagogical model grounded in intercultural dialogue and collaborative learning, students engaged with the global dimensions of hip-hop, social justice, and systemic inequality while developing transferable skills in language proficiency, critical thinking, and digital literacy. Drawing from student reflections and instructor observations, this paper identifies key successes and barriers in implementing VE in the social sciences, offering recommendations for designing high-impact, equity-driven virtual learning experiences. The findings underscore the transformative potential of VE classrooms in cultivating global competencies and fostering meaningful relationships across cultural and linguistic boundaries.