What are “race” and “ethnicity” exactly? Defining the concepts present a real challenge. This class explores what race and ethnicity mean, beginning with historical ideas about human difference. Comparing American beliefs and practices to those found in other societies, we will pay special attention to the particular notions and hierarchies of race and ethnicity that emerge in different times and places. The course also investigates the roles that institutions like the media, the arts, the state, and the sciences play in shaping our understandings of race and ethnicity. We will conclude by considering the predictions that scholars have made about the future of racial and ethnic stratification in the United States and around the world. Throughout the course, we will also use a global approach to the study of race and ethnicity by not only comparing U.S. experiences to those of individuals and groups abroad, but likewise by taking into account the historical and contemporary experiences of the various immigrant groups that have made this country their home.
- Teacher: Jose Soto-Marquez