SOC 3410 Racism and Race in the United States
This course provides a comprehensive overview of how racism structures life in the United States. In doing so, it invites you to join an honest, open-minded, and empowering conversation about contemporary race relations. Main topics include: (1) the socially constructed nature of race and the historical processes through which racial categories were established in the US; (2) the ways racism manifests itself in macro-social spheres, such as politics, economics, housing, education, and the criminal justice system; and (3) how race permeates associational and intimate spheres of life. Other topics addressed include the Black Lives Matter movement; white nationalism; and current events involving racism and race.
Course Types
Society; Advanced Studies; Sociology Elective; Anthropology Elective; African and African-American Studies Elective; American Studies Elective; Peace & Conflict Studies Elective; Poverty & Social Justice Elective
Course Outcomes
- Develop a social scientific understanding of race and racism.
- Explore the impact of America's racial history on contemporary race relations.
- Identify various forms of racism in both interpersonal and institutional contexts.
- Recognize and question hidden racial assumptions present in social discourses.
- Reflect on strategies for challenging racism through both individual and collective action.