Foundations: Race and Racism in the U.S.

Students will investigate the multi-faceted concepts of identity, racism, and the dynamics of power, privilege, and oppression in the United States.

Degree students only; Asynchronous online; Colocated with EDFS 1010 OLR; Total combined enrollment 105

we will explore, examine, and discuss the origins and consequences of systemic racial oppression that exist in the United States. Our exploration will include, but is not limited to, looking at the social construction of race and other categories of difference; the history of racism and discrimination in the U.S.; intersections between the various “isms”; privilege, identity, bias the role of education current events and policies as they relate to race and racism; and discerning the difference between fact-based journalism and unverifiable, unsupported information “called” journalism.

How do power and privilege operate in our society to promote inequality? Understand and describe the concept of the social construction of race Describe and evaluate the roles that social institutions play in constructing and perpetuating categories of difference and systems of inequality Identify and describe at least three historical frameworks that continue to oppress and marginalize different groups today Explain what the term intersectionality means and describe multiple intersections between the various “isms,” which result in multiple identities, that defy neat divisions and categorizations of people Understand and describe multiple ways in which race is a component of your autobiographical narrative Apply the knowledge you have gained through this course to critically analyze current events and government policies as they relate to race and racism.

See syllabus