Race & Ethnic Relations in the United States
Sociology 215-004
Fall 2001
Instructor: Robert Jenkot
Office: Faner 4340
Phone: 453-3892 Soc Office: 453-2494 Email: rjenk47@siu.edu
Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 1-2:30 & By Appointment
I. Textbooks:
Healey, Joseph F. 1998. Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Rothenberg, Paula S. 2001. Race, Class, and Gender in the United States (5th ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.
II. Student Learning Objectives:
This course examines the status of racial, ethnic, and cultural minority groups from historical, economic, and political perspectives. It is designed to expand knowledge of theory, research, and current events in regards to the relations of race, ethnicity, gender, and class in the United States. It is the intent of this course to introduce key topics, stimulate individual thought, and enhance the understanding of group interactions in American society. This process will involve class lectures, class discussions, required readings, videos, and guest presentations.
Students in this course will be able to:
1) Demonstrate an understanding of such sociological concepts as assimilation, pluralism, ascribes and achieved status, prejudice and discrimination;
2) Display basic knowledge of historical, socioleconomic, and political demographics of various racial/ethnic groups in the Unites States;
3) Demonstrate critical thinking and understanding about different theories and perspectives pertaining to race, class, gender, and sexuality; and
4) Apply sociological concepts for the analysis of race and ethnicity to personal and/or familial experience.
III. Guidelines/Ground Rules for this course:
1) Acknowledge that racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia exist.
2) Acknowledge that one of the meanings of racism/sexism is that we have been systematically taught misinformation about our own group and especially members of other groups.
3) We cannot be blamed for the misinformation we have learned, but we will be held responsible for repeating misinformation after we have learned otherwise.
4) Victims are not to be blamed for their oppression.
5) We will assume that people are always doing the best they can.
6) We will actively pursue information about our own groups and those of others.
7) We will share information about our own groups with other members of the class and we will NEVER demean, devalue, or in any way "put down" people for their experiences.
8) We each have an obligation to actively combat the myths and stereotypes about our own groups and other groups so that we can break down the walls which prohibit group cooperation and group gain.
9) We want to create a safe atmosphere for open discussion. Thus, at times, members of the class may wish to make a comment that they do not want repeated outside of the classroom. If so, the student will preface her or his remarks with a request and the class will agree not to repeat the remarks.
(** Ground Rules 1-9 by Lynn Weber, Center for Research on Women, University of Memphis, TN 38152)
Plagiarism: Do not copy from anyone else's work. You must provide a citation both in the text and in the bibliography in any work turned in if you quote someone else's work. Ask me if you are not sure. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade.
Cheating/Copying: Do not cheat or copy from another student. Cheating and/or copying will result in a failing grade.
Citations/Bibliographies: I am not concerned with "how" you reference the works you use (ASA, APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.), but you must do it. In text citations should be as follows: (Jenkot 2001:23-24).
Pop Quizzes: There will be ten (10) of these throughout the semester, each worth 10 points. These will cover readings, lectures, videos, and guest presentations. Pop quizzes can not be made up.
Writing Assignments: These will range between three (3) and six (6) page projects, I will make the assignments clear when I assign them. These assignments must be typed, using 12 point font, double spaced, and with one inch margins.
Late Assignments: I will only accept a late assignment in EXTREME cases. In such extreme cases I will allow for an additional week with a corresponding 10 point deduction, except in special circumstances. The idea is to turn your work in on time. I will accept no late work after December 5, 2001.
Missed Exams: These will be handled on a case by case basis. No exam will be returned until all exams have been turned in and graded.
Extra Credit: I like to make extra credit available to the entire class. From time to time I will announce an event (certain movies, university functions, speakers, displays, etc.). Taking part in the event (viewing the movie, listening to the speaker, etc.) and providing me with a one (1) page (minimum) report on the event will earn the extra points. The number of points available for these will range from 2-5 pts. each. If I do not announce an event that you believe merits extra credit, ask me about it.
IV. Grading & Evaluation: The is no imposed "curve" in this class. I will use the standard 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% scale.
Mid-Term Exam 100 pts.
Final Exam 100 pts.
Quiz Points (10*10pts. ea.) 100 pts.
Herstory/HistoryAssignment 30 pts.
Application Assignment 60 pts.
Video Reviews (2*40 pts. ea.) 80 pts.
Participation 30 pts.
Total Points 500
+Extra Credit ???? pts.
V. Course Schedule:
Week 1: August 20, 22, & 24
Readings: Healey Chapter 1 "Diversity in the U.S."
Assignments: Personal Herstory/History paper assigned (last page of syllabus).
Handout: Yamato "Racism" for next week
Week 2: August 27, 29, & 31
Readings: Rothenberg: Wright "The Ethics of Jim Crow" I,2
Hubbard " The Social Construction of Heterosexuality" I,8
Frye "Oppression" II,6
Week 3: September 5, & 7 (No Class 9/3/01, Labor Day Holiday)
Readings: Healey Chapter 2 "Assimilation & Pluralism"
Rothenberg: McIntosh "White Privilege" II,9
Chafe "Sex and Race" VII, 5
Assignments: Personal Herstory/History paper due Sept. 5 in class
Week 4: September 10, 12, & 14
Readings: Healey Chapter 3 "Prejudice"
Rothenberg: Terkel "C.P. Ellis" VIII,10
Snyder "Self-Fulfilling Stereotypes" VII,1
Video: The Secret History of the KKK
Assignments: Reaction Paper to the video, due September 21
Week 5: September 17, 19, & 21
Readings: Healey Chapter 4 "Prejudice in the 1990's"
Rothenberg: Nat'l. Committee on Pay Equity "The Wage Gap" IV,7
Mantsios "Class in America" II,10
Handout: Wages, Class, and Disparity
Week 6: September 24, 26, & 28
Readings: Healey Chapter 5 "Minority Groups in Preindustrial America"
Rothenberg: Dred Scott v.Sanford, 1857 VI,8
U.S. Constitution VI,10
Elk v. Wilkins, November 3, 1884 VI,15
Week 7: October 1, 3, & 5
Readings: Healey Chapter 6 "Industrialization and Dominant-Minority Relations"
Rothenberg: Sklar "Imagine a Country" IV,1
Omi & Winant "Racial Formations" I,1
Mid-Term Exam Distributed, covers material through Oct. 4
Handout: Material for guest speaker
Week 8: October 8, 10, & 12
Guest Speaker: Terry Lilley on the 10th & 12th
Mid-Term Exam Due in class Oct. 12
Extra Credit: Reaction to Terry Lilley's presentation, 1 page Due 10/17.
Week 9: October 15, 17, & 19
Readings: Healey Chapter 7 "African Americans"
Rothenberg: Katz "The Invention of Heterosexuality" I,9
Miller "Domination and Subordination" I,11
Bowers v. Hardwick, 1986 VI,22
Sabo "Pigskin, Patriarchy, and Pain" V,10
Week 10: October 22, 24, & 26
Video or Guest Presentation: TBA
Readings: Rothenberg: DuBois "The Black Codes" VI,11
Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 VI,16
Carter "Tracking" VII,8
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 1954 VI,19
Handout: Reservations, several news articles for next class
Week 11: October 29, 31 & November 2 NO CLASS DURING "FALL RECESS"
Week 12: November 5, 7, & 9
Readings: Healey Chapter 8 "Native Americans"
Rothenberg: U.S. Commission on Human Rights "Indian Tribes" VI,1
Silko "The Border Patrol State" III,8
Assignments: Application Assignment assigned
Week 13: November 12, 14, & 16
Readings: Healey Chapter 9 "Hispanic Americans"
Rothenberg: Cofer "The Myth of the Latin American Woman" V,6
Handout: Latino/a Time-line
Week 14: November 19, & 21 (NO CLASS Nov. 23 for Thanksgiving Break)
Video or Guest Presentation: TBA
Assignments: Application Assignment due 11/21/01.
Week 15: November 26, 28, & 30
Readings: Healey Chapter 10 "Asian Americans"
Rothenberg: Sethi "Smells Like Racism" II,2
Kochiyama "Then Came the War" V,3
Korematsu v. United States, 1944 VI,18
Handout: Kaufman "How Workplaces May Look without Affirmative Action" for next week
Week 16: December 3, 5, & 7
Readings: Healey Chapter 11 "European Americans"
Rothenberg: Brodkin "How Jews Became White" I,3
Assignments: In class course evaluations on Dec. 7
Week 17: FINALS WEEK- Date & Time to be announced
SOC 215-003 Race & Ethnic Relations in the U.S.
Assignment #1: Due September 5, 2001 in class
Personal History/Herstory
The purpose of this assignment is to get you thinking about your life and how you have developed your gender and racial/ethnic identities. There are no right or wrong answers. Use correct spelling and grammar.
1. When were you first aware that there was such a thing as race, gender, and class differences? How old were you ? How did you tell? Was this in a rural or urban (suburban) setting?
2. How many brothers and sisters do you have? Did you notice your parents treating you any differently as you grew up? Preschool age, grade school age, high school, college, adult (real world)?
3. What type of messages did you receive about gender and race roles from your schooling? Differences in sports, classes, guidance counselors, etc.?
4. What kinds of messages did you get about your proper gender and race roles as you entered adolescence and puberty? Did your friends change?
5. How do you see yourself as same/different from men (women) of color?
6. What types of messages have you received about gender and race from the media, for example, TV, movies, commercials? Does advertising use race and gender to sell products? Give examples.
7. What have been the accomplishments of the women's and civil rights movement in the last 20 years? The benefits? The costs? The ambivalences?
8. Have race and ethnic relations gotten better or worse since the 1960s? In the 1990s/2000s? Why or why not?
9. Do we still need affirmative action programs and legislation? Why or why not?
10. How do you deal with family or friends who make obviously sexist and racist remarks? How do you deal with men (women) who make obviously sexually and racially harassing remarks? On the street? Classroom? Workplace?