Sociology: Comparative Race & Ethnicity

A comparative analysis of racial and ethnic contact in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Germany, and Australia. Prerequisites: SOC 1500, and SOC 2500 or SOC 2550; or six hours in CRES; minimum Junior standing.

Prerequisites enforced by the system: SOC 1500 & (SOC 2500 or 2550 or POLS 2800) Minimum junior standing PACE students with permission and override

American sociologists, with few exceptions, have concentrated largely on American groups and relations, often neglecting the analysis of similarities and differences between the United States and other heterogeneous societies. If we are to understand the general nature of race relations, however, it is necessary to move beyond the US and place our analysis in a comparative or cross-national framework. Our primary goal in this course is to compare and contrast ethnic/race relations in the US with other national contexts. A comparative approach not only enables us to learn about race relations in other societies, but also provides us with sharper insight into race and ethnic relations in the United States. To accomplish our goals, this course is divided into two parts. During the first part of the course (the first third of the semester), we will begin by laying a foundation for this course by looking at conceptual and theoretical perspectives on race and ethnic relations: What is race? What is ethnicity? What are various models of ethnic contact and ethnic integration? What techniques does the dominant group use to maintain its power and privilege in a given society and what strategies do minority groups use to resist subordination? Here we will focus primarily on the United States, but we will also draw on examples from outside the US. Further, we will describe the variety and continuum of ethnic/racial relations found globally and throughout history. In the second portion of the semester, we will comparatively examine race relations in the United States and abroad. Several societies provide meaningful comparisons with the US such as (1) Brazil, (2) South Africa, (3) Canada, and (4) Germany. In comparatively analyzing these countries, some of the questions we will ask include: How are race and ethnicity conceptualized and socially constructed in these societies? What strategies do the dominant groups in these societies use to maintain their position of power and privilege? Who is the dominant group and how did they attain their position? And how have subordinate groups responded to prejudice and discrimination? By the end of the semester, the goal is for you to have developed a broad sense of race, ethnicity, and race/ethnic relations both within and beyond the United States.

2 exams, short paper, research paper, reading journals