This syllabus is a contract between you and me. Please read it and ask any questions that you may have. This class promises to be demanding, stimulating, and even exciting. If you choose to stay in this class after reading the syllabus, I will assume that you intend participate fully in order to help the course reach its potential.

Course Goals
Race & Ethnicity is really a course about racism-- its historical roots, its social effects, and the ways it is perpetuated in every day life. The issues we will discuss in here are those that you deal with as a member of our society on a daily basis. The goals of this course are these:

1. To critically assess the relations of power in our society.
2. To examine who is benefitting from the existence of racism, as well as who is suffering from it.
3. To be able to critique information and arguments on the basis of logic, and to be able to evaluate which information is more accurate than others. In this way, we can dispel myths and stereotypes that are based on ignorance.
4. To understand the ways that we all-- knowingly and unknowingly-- participate in the structure of racism in ways that reproduce inequality.
5. To open lines of communication among class members so that we can share our information and misinformation about different groups in society; we do this so that we can overcome the barriers of myths and stereotypes which divide us.
6. To apply the course material to the your real-life experiences.

Readings
You have three required texts for this class. The books you must purchase for this class are these: Racism: An American Cauldron by Doob; A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Takaki; and Uprooting Racism by Kivel.

You have about 50 pages of reading each week. Some weeks will have a heavier load than others. I expect you to complete all of the readings by the due date. When students do their reading, the level of class discussion is higher, and students learn much more. These books have more information that I could ever adequately cover in lectures. It is very important that you read. As insurance, I will give a quiz each Monday, starting the 5th week of class, to test your knowledge of the readings. Each quiz will cover the reading material since the previous quiz. If you miss a quiz-- for any reason-- you get a 0. You will have 11 quizzes, and I will drop your lowest grade.

Assignments
I incorporate different kinds of assignments in this class so as to maximize your various skills. Some people will excel at quizzes, while others will blossom in writing assignments, and still others will become leaders in discussion groups. These are the different assignments you can expect in this class:

Spontaneous homework: Occasionally, I will give you an assignment in class based on the day=s material. These will not be pre-announced. I will give specific instructions when the assignments are made. If you miss a homework assignment, you get a 0.

In-class writing: Occasionally, I will give you an in-class writing assignment that will be due at the end of the period. These are not pre-announced and they cannot be made up.

Personal interviews exploring your own racial/ethnic heritage: America is said to be a Amelting pot@ of cultures. Aside from being false, this notion is problematic because it means that every group is required to give up their ethnic past and embrace their American future. So much of our roots have been lost over the years in the quest for American assimilation. You will be required to interview members of your family in order to discover what cultural heritage your family has discarded. You will write a 4-5 page (typed) paper detailing your discoveries.

Movie Review Assignment: Racism and ethnocentrism are major topics in movie media. As most of you will not be sociologists, but all of you will be consumers of mass media, this assignment helps you apply critical thinking skills about racism to the big screen. I will give you a list of movies from which to choose. You will view one (which requires you rent and view on your own time) and write a critical analysis of its handling of race and/or ethnicity. This is to be a sharp, concise paper, exercising good writing skills. It is to be 3-4 typed pages. I will tell you more about it later.

Research paper debunking a racial/ethnic myth or stereotype: So much of our every day knowledge about race and ethnicity is based on misinformation-- myths and stereotypes. These falsehoods get passed down from generation to generation, and their effects are damaging to all of society. You are required to choose one stereotype, and find scholarly publications which help refute it. You will get much more detail on this project later in the semester, but it is to be a 6-7 page (typed) paper that debunks rumor with research.
All assignments must be typed. You must get used to word processing. Most of the jobs available nowadays require at least minimal word processing. Start now and make yourself more marketable later. You can use the computers in the SOCQRL in 202b DuSable, if you have limited access elsewhere.

Turning in Assignments Late
It is not fair for some members of the class to take extra time and turn in papers late, when the rest of the class works hard and completes them by the due date. Occasionally, everyone gets overwhelmed with school work. You have a lot of work to do in this class, so budget your time NOW.

There are NO MAKE-UPS on ANY assignments. If you miss one, you get a 0, regardless of the reason.

Late Papers: If you know ahead of time that you will be unable to complete your paper on the date it is due, AND you have a valid excuse, then arrange an extension with me. Otherwise, I deduct 5 points a day (including weekends) from late papers.

Tests
Your quizzes will take the place of tests for this course. In addition, you will have a final, essay exam that requires you to synthesize course material. There will be NO MAKE-UP tests, unless you have contacted me personally-- not my answering machine-- at least 48 hours ahead of the scheduled test period with a valid excuse for not taking the exam. What is Avalid@ is up to me. If you miss a test without making arrangements, you get a 0.

Attendance and participation
Attendance is an important element to any class. If you miss a class, you miss material that may become important to your success in this course. The pace in this class will be quick. I expect you to attend class so that you can keep up with developments as they happen. I will take attendance randomly. If you are present, you receive credit. If you are absent, you do not. Please note that this means I do not distinguish between Aexcused@ and Aunexcused@ absences.

Also, to be counted as present, you must do more than take up space: I do not count as present people who are sleeping, chatting with their friends, listening to headsets, reading the newspaper, or doing homework for this or any other class. Attendance is counted when students are alert and participating. Your attendance and class participation constitute 20% of your grade. It can mean a difference of two letter grades! Take it seriously.

Coming in late/ leaving early: to be counted as present, you must attend class for the entire period. If you are 10 or more minutes late, you will be marked absent. You will be exempt from any quizzes or assignments for the day-- meaning you will receive 0s for any daily grades/quizzes. If you know ahead of time that you have to be late or leave early, notify me or the graduate assistant the class period before.

Atmosphere
In this class, we will discuss issues that are highly controversial. We all come from different perspectives on these issues. It is likely that we will disagree with each other. I welcome and encourage lively discussion, as they are necessary for true learning to occur. Indeed, much of this course will center on discussion. However, disagreements should not take the form of personal attack. That is absolutely unacceptable. Mutual respect is required in order to maximize a healthy and fair learning environment. Disagree with each other=s ideas and the evidence used in arguments, but respect each other as people. We all have to work together to create this atmosphere. For more on this topic, see your handout.

A warning and a promise: if a student becomes disruptive to the class, I will have her/him formally removed from the course. I will not permit the continuity of this course to be derailed by an unreasonable student. No one student has more rights than any other, and I will protect the whole at the expense of the individual, if need be. See your undergraduate handbook regarding the rules on this matter.

Grading
I use a 10 point scale (A=100-90, etc.). To earn a C: you must do an adequate/average job on every requirement. To earn a B: you must do a good/above average job on every requirement, going somewhat beyond the call of duty. To earn an A: you must consistently do outstanding work. It is difficult to earn an A, challenging to earn a B, and most common to earn a C. It is easiest to earn a D or an F, of course.

Your final grade is composed of the following:
Class participation, attendance, and homework 20%
Quizzes: 20%
Papers: 40%
Final exam: 20%

Many of you already know what grade you need in this class in order to maintain or elevate your GPA. My philosophy on grades is this: They are yours to earn, not mine to give. Therefore, decide now what grade you want to receive, and earn it! Do not come to me at the end of the semester with a creative story about your various personal tragedies (i.e., "I'm going to flunk out;" "I'm going to lose my scholarship;" "My parents will kill me") and expect me to make it all better.

Schedule -- readings are due the day for which they are listed. Schedule is subject to change.
 

Unit I: White privilege and its social consequences

Week 1: Introduction and Concepts
8/23 First day-- syllabus and meet your CLG
8/25 Defining terms, exploring Awhiteness@
read Chapter 1 in Doob
8/27 read pp. 1-27 in Kivel

Week 2: AColorism@ and economics
8/30: Allegiances, coups and color wars
9/1: Read Chapter 1, Takaki
9/3: Read pp. 28-48, Kivel

Week 3: White privilege
9/6: Off for Labor Day
9/8: Extreme white privilege: Examining the Ku Klux Klan
read pp. 50-85 in Kivel (Part II)
A&E documentary on the KKK Part1

9/10: A&E documentary on the KKK Part 2
Everyday white privilege
read handout by McIntosh

Week 4: Understanding privilege and oppression
9/13:Theories of racism
read Chapter 2 in Doob

9/15: ***Quiz 1***
***go over Heritage paper assignment***
9/17:Experiences of college students
film: Skin Deep

Unit II: Voices from the margins: Quest for power

Week 5: Boundlessness
9/20:The tempest in the wilderness
read Chapter 2 in Takaki
9/22:***Quiz 2***
read pp. 120-130 in Kivel
9/24: The hidden origins of slavery
read Chapter 3 in Takaki

Week 6: Borders I
9/27: From removal to reservation
read Chapter 4 in Takaki
9/29: ***Quiz 3***
read pp. 114-119 in Kivel

10/1: Slavery and its discontents
read Chapter 5 in Takaki
Excerpts from film, Amistad
 

Week 7: Borders II
10/4: Diversity within white America
read Chapter 6 in Takaki
*** Heritage paper assignment due***
10/6:***Quiz 4***
read pp. 112-113 in Kivel
***go over Movie Review assignment***
10/8: Oppression in the Southwest
read Chapter 7 in Takaki

Week 8: Borders III and Distances I
10/11: Strangers from a Pacific shore
read Chapter 8 in Takaki
10/13:***Quiz 5***
read pp. 131-139 in Kivel
10/15: The AIndian question@
read Chapter 9 in Takaki

Week 9: Distances II
10/18: Pacific crossings
read Chapter 10 in Takaki
10/20:***Quiz 6***
read pp. 147-155 in Kivel
10/22: Between two endless days
read Chapter 11 in Takaki

Week 10: Distances III
10/25: El Norte
read Chapter 12 in Takaki
***Movie Review assignment due***

10/27: ***Quiz 7***
read pp. 140-146 in Kivel
10/29: Blacks in the urban north
read Chapter 13 in Takaki
***Go over Debunking paper assignment***

Unit III: Structural effects of racism

Week 11: Racism in crime, housing, and work
11/1:Under the thumb
read Chapter 4 in Doob
11/3:***Quiz 8***
read pp. 160-185 in Kivel
***Debunking paper topic due***
11/5: Knowing your place
read Chapter 5 in Doob

Week 12: Racism in education and families
11/8: Blocking the gateway
read Chapter 6 in Doob
11/10: read pp. 186-190 in Kivel
**Quiz 9**
11/12: All God=s Children?
read Chapter 7 in Doob

Week 13: Unit Transition
11/15: Racism in mass media
read Chapter 8 in Doob
*** List of sources for Debunking paper due***
11/17:**Quiz 10**
11/19: film: Ethnic Notions

Unit IV: Becoming an ally: Eyes on the future

Week 14:
11/22: Being allies
read pp. 86-109 in Kivel (Part III)
11/24: Thanksgiving-- remember the Native Americans
11/26: Thanksgiving

Week 15: Strategies and conclusions
11/29: Multiculturalism
read pp. 202-230 in Kivel (Part VI)
12/1: The new millennium
read Chapter 14 in Takaki
12/3: Read Chapter 10 in Doob
*** Debunking paper due***

Final Exam: Monday, December 6, 10-11:50 a.m.