SOC 20 - Introduction to Race and Ethnicity

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course is a sociological analysis of race, ethnicity, prejudice and discrimination. It examines the cultural, political and economic practices and institutions that support or challenge racial and ethnic inequalities, as well as patterns of interaction between various racial and ethnic groups. (C-ID SOCI 150).

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify the cultural, political, economic, historical and institutional factors affecting the social construction of race and ethnic relations.
2. Differentiate concepts such as prejudice, discrimination, segregation, assimilation and pluralism.
3. Analyze the cultural and institutional factors involved in race and ethnic relations, relating the macro-level to the micro-level.
4. Compare and contrast the experiences of groups that have been historically marginalized, particularly groups defined by ethnicity and race.
5. Analyze intersections of race and ethnicity with gender, class and other locations of identity.
6. Identify and analyze patterns of racial and ethnic interaction.
7. Identify, compare and contrast the experiences of major racial and ethnic groups.
8. Examine the majority-minority group relations including issues such as power and privilege.
9. Recognize and analyze instances of environmental discrimination, that is wwhere environmental impacts disproportionately affect minority racial and ethnic populations.
10. Evaluate debates on current socio-political racial and ethnic issues such as affirmative action, immigration policies, criminal justice policies, environmental discrimination and the future of race and ethnic relations.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Group Discussions
2. Guest Speakers
3. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
4. Lecture
5. Multimedia Presentations
6. Reading Assignments

1. Exams/Tests
2. Research Projects
3. Projects
4. Journal
5. Class participation
6. Essays and research papers

Reading Assignments

1. Read an excerpt from the book "Malign Neglect" and discuss the racial differences in sentencing for drug crimes.  Be prepared to discuss in class.
2. Read "Principles of Stratification" by Davis and Moore and identify 3 weaknesses in their argument. Be prepared to discuss in class.

Writing Assignments

1. Research the differences between the concepts 'prejudice' and 'discrimination'. In a 2-3 page essay purpose solutions to both social phenomena.
2. Explain what 'environmental discrimination' is, providing at least two examples in a 2-3 page essay. Be prepared to discuss your examples in class.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Interview family members about their ethnic heritage. Ask them to discuss what types of values they learned through that heritage. Then compare and contrast those values to your own.  Explain your findings to the class.
2. Conduct an analysis of television images of race and ethnicity. What sorts of roles do actors of minority racial and ethnic status typically play? Describe these roles and provide an explanation of why such stereotypes exist in the media. Discuss the social consequences of these media stereotypes in class.

Joseph F. Healey, Andi Stepnick. (2022). Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. Sage Publications, 9th. 9781544389790.

Ore, Tracy. (2022). The Social Construction of Difference and Inequality: Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality. Oxford University Press, 8th. 9780197618967.

Kerbo, Harold. (2011). Social Stratification and Inequality. McGraw-Hill Humanities, 8th. 978-0078111655.

Sernau, Scott R. (2005). Worlds Apart: Social Inequalities in a Global Economy. Pine Forge Press, 2nd. 978-1412915243.

Sociology (Masters Required)