Whiteness, Power, and Privilege: The Invention and Persistence of the White Race

Catalog description

Terms like whiteness and white privilege have entered the American mainstream in the wake of racial tensions and the rise of movements like Black Lives Matter. This course seeks to situate historically, socially, psychologically, politically, economically, and corporeally what is meant by whiteness and how it affects our daily lives in this country and at a global level. Through engagement with classic texts in critical whiteness studies and select case-studies, students will discuss the invention, development, and power of whiteness. From the advent of race-based slavery to the 2016 Presidential Election, this course explores the meaning and power of whiteness.