SOC 247-00C: Racial & Ethnic Relations (Summer 2011)

The election of Barack Obama has led many to argue that the United States is now a post-racial society. That is, race and racism no longer matter in determining what one can achieve in life, racial inequality is a thing of the past, and we all have an equal opportunity to succeed. In this course, we will challenge these notions by examining sociological theory on race, the history of racial groups in this country, as well as the current state of race relations and racial inequality in the contemporary moment. We will begin by discussing definitions of race as well as competing theories of racism. Next, we will explore the social histories of various racial groups in the United States, including Native Americans, African- Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, Arab-Americans, and Whites. Finally, we will examine race relations and persisting racial inequality in the contemporary time period, focusing on relevant issues such as residential segregation, mass incarceration, wealth and poverty, and education. By the end of this course, you should have an understanding of the history of race in the United States, what the current state of race relations looks like, and why, despite what some may argue, race still matters.