SOCI/BAMS 361 Racial Inequality
Spring 2008
Professor Margaret Andersen

Office: 334 Smith Hall
Office Hours: Thursday, 1:00-3:00 and by appointment
Phone: 831-0649
e-mail: mla@udel.edu
web page:  http://udel.edu/soc/mla
Teaching Assistant: Nena Craven ncraven@udel.edu

Course Purpose :

This course will explore racial stratification in the United States through studying the experiences of diverse racial-ethnic groups, the structure of dominant social institutions, and racial ideologies. The major topics we will study include the social construction of race and racial belief systems, the evolution and perpetuation of institutional racism, and anti-racist strategies for social change. We will also examine how contemporary patterns of immigration, population diversity, and ongoing discrimination are shaping the character of U.S. society, including access to institutional resources and the structure of work, families, and communities.

The class uses a combination of lecture and discussion. Course assignments are designed to help students observe the racial environment and how society and culture shapes the identity and experience of diverse racial groups. Class readings will also encourage students to think about how racial inequality has developed over time and how it is linked to the structure of dominant institutions. Throughout, students should be willing to think about the readings and the class discussions with an open mind. As Alfred Einstein once said, "A mind once opened can never be shut again." Students should acknowledge that many of the topics we will discuss involve challenging dominant ideas about race and about different groups in society. Students should be willing to listen to others, to examine how their own experiences and ideas involving race have been shaped, and to question taken-for-granted ideas--many of which are implicitly or explicitly rooted in racist thought. Although students may not agree with everything in the readings or lectures, they must be willing to think about a sociological perspective on race.

Books for Purchase:

Elizabeth Higginbotham and Margaret L. Andersen, eds. 2006. Race and Ethnicity in Society: The Changing Landscape. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Beverly Daniel Tatum. 1997. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? New York: Basic Books.

The class will also use several films that document the history and social reality of race. Students are responsible for material in the films. They will be shown in class, but can be viewed for review or a missed class in the Media Services section of Morris Library. You should also take notes during the films to help you remember important ideas from the film.

Grading System and Course Policies:

Grades will be based on two exams (25% each), one final paper (10%), and two research exercises (20% each). Guidelines for the final paper will be distributed in class. Late work will not be accepted unless you have an excused University absence.Questions about grades must be done in person, not over e-mail.

Attendance is required. Students must complete all reading before coming to class and should be prepared to discuss the reading in class.While reading, you should take notes, including raising questions and making comments that the reading inspires. Including class participation in your grade is not meant to intimate those who are reluctant to speak, nor to only reward those who do so with ease. Participation includes careful listening, as well as sharing ideas and questions. I expect all students to create an environment that encourages the participation of everyone in the group. I also encourage you to discuss your ideas, reading, and written work with other students outside of class. University policies on academic honesty apply to all work in this course. (See: http://www.udel.edu/judicialaffairs/policyref.html)

Makeup exams will be given only for excused absences, as defined by University policy. If you have an emergency or an excused absence, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. You should keep all work returned to you until final grades are posted. Despite good intentions, it is possible that one of your grades could be misrecorded or lost. Saving your work will verify your grade in such an unlikely event. It is recommended that you keep a backup disk for all work done on a computer for this course; last minute lost computer files are not an excuse for late work.

Periodic extra credit activities will be announced in class. These are optional but can add as many as 2 points to your final grade. You are encouraged to attend all announced events, but a maximum of two will count toward extra credit. Only those activities announced in class or posted on e-mail will count as extra credit; to receive credit, you must write a short (2-3 page) reaction paper discussing what you learned in the event and how this is related to one of the concepts or ideas in the course material).

Students should check their University e-mail on a regular basis for class announcements. If you use something other than a University account, you should arrange to have your university mail forwarded to your other address or you will miss these e-mail postings. Written assignments, however, must be submitted in writing, not as e-mail attachments.

Important Dates:

Research Exercise #1: March 6 (instructions available via link)
First Exam: March 25
Research Exercise #2: April 17 (instructions available via link)
Second Exam: during finals period
Final paper: May 20

February 12-14: Introductions and Core Concepts

Elizabeth Higginbotham and Margaret L. Andersen “Introduction” (pp. 1-6)

Farai Chideya, “A Nation of Minorities” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Robert Blauner, “Talking Past One Another” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Moustafa Boyoumi, “How Does it Feel to Be a Problem?” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

American Sociological Association, ”Statement on Race” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Mark Chesler et al., "Blinded by Whiteness"; (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Clara Rodriguez, “Changing Race” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Howard F. Taylor, “Defining Race” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Abby L. Ferber, “Planting the Seed” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Joe R. Feagin, “Systemic Racism” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Elizabeth M. Grieco and Rachel C. Cassidy, “Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

February 19: Film: “Race: The Power of Illusion, Episode 1, The Difference Between Us”

 February 26-28: Prejudice and Racism

Karen Brodkin Sacks, "How Did Jews Become White Folks?"

Michael Omi and Howard Winant, “Racial Formation” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Lawrence D. Bobo, “The Color Line, the Dilemma and the Dream” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Charles A. Gallagher “Color-Blind Privilege” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Elizabeth Higginbotham and Margaret L. Andersen, “Introduction,” (pp. 41-46)

 February 28: Film: “Race: The Power of Illusion, Episode 3, The House We Live In”

March 4-March 6: Racial Identity

Beverly Tatum, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

Elizabeth Higginbotham and Margaret L. Andersen, “Introduction,” (pp. 123-126)

Judy Scales-Trent, "Notes of a White Black Woman" (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Heather M. Dalmage, “Tripping on the Color Line” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)Mark Chesler et al., “Blinded by Whiteness” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

*****March 6: Class meets in Mechanical Hall, Paul Jones Collection*****

***** March 6: Research Exercise #1 due *****

March 11-13: Race, Representation, and Popular Culture

Elizabeth Higginbotham and Margaret L. Andersen, “Introduction,” (pp. 81-86)

Hernán Vera and Andrew M. Gordon, “Learning to be White through the Movies” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Charles Springwood and C. Richard King, "'Playing Indian': Why Native American Mascots Must End" (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

March 18-20: The Political Economy of Race: Wealth and Citizenship

 Evelyn Nakano Glenn, “Citizenship and Inequality” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Melvin Oliver and Thomas Shapiro, “Wealth and Racial Stratification” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Joanne Mariner, “Racism, Citizenship, and National Identity” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Suzanne Oboler, “It Must Be a Fake!” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Russell Thornton, “American Indians in the United States” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

*** March 25: Exam One *****
(This exam covers all material through March 20)
 

SPRING BREAK: March 29-April 6

April 8-10: Racial Segregation: Housing and Education

Elizabeth Higginbotham and Margaret L. Andersen, “Introduction” (pp. 269-270)

Erica Frankenberg, Chungmei Lee, and Gary Orfield, “A Multiracial Society with Segregated Schools: Are We Losing the Dream?” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Heidi Lasley Barajas and Jennifer Pierce, “The Significance of Race and Gender…”(in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Douglas Massey, “Residential Segregation and Neighborhood Conditions” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Nancy Lopez, “Race-Gender Experiences and Schooling” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

 April 8: Video: "Eyes on the Prize: Fighting Back”

April 15-17  The Political Economy of Race: Work and Social Class

Cedric Herring, “Is Job Discrimination Dead?” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Celeste Watkins, “A Tale of Two Classes” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Deirdre Royster, “Race and the Invisible Hand” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Katherine Newman, “Getting a Job in the Inner City” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

 ***** April 17: Research Exercise #2 due *****

April 22-24: Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration

Leo Chavez, “Covering Immigration” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Nancy Foner, “From Ellis Island to JFK” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Alejandro Portes, “Immigration’s Aftermath” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Min Zhou, “Are Asians Becoming White?” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Peggy Levitt, “Salsa and Ketchup” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Noy Thrupkaew, “Myth of the Model Minority” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

April 24: Film: "Farmingville"

April 29-May 1: The Civil Rights Movement

Elizabeth Higginbotham and Margaret L. Andersen, “Introduction” (pp. 391-396 )

Aldon Morris, “The Genius of the Civil Rights Movement: Can It Happen Again?” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

May 1: Video: “Eyes on the Prize: Bridge to Freedom”

May 6-May 8: Anti-racist Solutions: Civil Rights/Affirmative Action/Reparations?

Jack Hitt et al., "Making the Case for Racial Reparations"

(Note: Class meets in problem-based learning groups on May 8 th and May 13 th, with group reports in class on May 15; attendance is very important during this period; further instructions will be provided in class)

May 13-May 15: Anti-racist Solutions: continued

Vincent Harding, “Signs…Signs… Turn Visible Again” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, “We Are All Americans!” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

Jacqueline Johnson et al., “Reducing Inequalities” (in Higginbotham and Andersen)

May 20: Summary and Conclusion

***** May 20: Final Papers due: *****

 ***** FINALS PERIOD: Exam Two *****