The Evolution of RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE U.S.:
1911: Somatology and Ethnology. Professor Hawes. This course should be taken by those who expect to take the following courses in this department. It is a study of the plan of man in Nature and of the races and varieties of mankind.
1921: Race Problems. Professor Mecklin. An examination of race as a factor in civilization, with particular reference to the problem of race friction in American life. The course closes with a consideration of the status of the Negro in American democracy.
1927: Immigration and Race Problems. Professor Woods. A study of the migration to America of certain races from Europe, Africa and Asia, and of the problems which arise from their presence here. Among other topics and restriction of immigration, the blending of cultural heritages, and present trends in the adjustment of the Negro to American life will be considered.
1937: Problems of Race and Nationality in America. Professor Woods. A study of the role of nationality, race and race prejudice in the development of the American people and in its present day problems, including its relations to other people.
1939: Problems of Race in America. Professor Woods. A study of the role of race and race prejudice in present-day American problems. The course is divided into three parts: (1) the meaning and importance of race as a factor of human affairs including a critique of contemporary racialism; (2) Ethnic groupings among the white inhabitants of the United States today and their racial and cultural significance; (3) the situation of the Negro in America, including psychological and other factors contributed by slavery, emancipation and migration to urban centers.
1955: Problems of Race in America. Professor Theriault. This course surveys inter-group relations in America society with particular attention given to problems of race, discrimination, and prejudice. The status of several minority groups is investigated. More intensive study is made of Negro-white relations in their historical, regional, and contemporary settings. Special attention is given to the changing status of the Negro. Negro communities, segregation, and discrimination in their economic, political, educational, and social aspects, are studied in detail. The course concludes with an evaluation of the position of minorities in America today in the light of democratic ideals and traditions.
1970: Race and Minority Group Relations. Associate Professor Sokol. This course concentrates on some basic social and psychological factors involved in minority-majority relations with particular emphasis on the United States. The history and structure of discrimination will be considered along with questions of the personal and social consequences of inter-group prejudice Theories to explain the existence of prejudice will be evaluated. Specific topics include ethnic subcultures, authoritarianism, cast and class, black identification and black power, and social mobility.
2018: Race and Ethnicity in the U.S. Professor Walton. To many eyes, racial distinctions are self-evident, natural, and objectively-defined. In this course, we problematize this practice of defining racial categories based on phenotypic differences, instead taking a sociological approach to understanding the ways in which racial differences are socially constructed. Throughout this course, we will explore how race matters by studying racial identity and experience, immigration and assimilation, diversity, and inequality.