This course provides an examination of the state of race relations in the United States and other industrialized nations. Topics include racial and ethnic stratification, systems of oppression, mechanisms for integration, pluralism, assimilation, and racial politics.
Identity: Who are you? More importantly who am I? Who am I to you? How does society view me and how does this society view you? “What’s race go to do with it?” Race is a social construct that categorizes people based on common physical characteristics. We use this construct to label one another and to make major decisions about one another. These decisions are often based on stereotypes and ingrained in our institutions such as education and the justice system. This course explores how we use this construct to interact with one another consciously and unconsciously. On the other hand, ethnicity is a group that identifies themselves based on a common nationality or shared cultural beliefs and traditions. This course explores the history and social underpinnings of these two critical concepts and analyzes how a person develops and struggles through how they are identified and treated by society. In addition, this course provides strategies for responding to racial jokes and comments.
- Teacher: Sophia Ward