Race and Racism

Catalog description

After the election of Barack Obama in 2008, many commentators spoke of the dawning of a post-racial America, however, events since then, including the election of Donald Trump, suggest that this hope was misplaced. This course will focus on recent developments in the field of critical race theory and the study of racism to help students make sense of the complicated state of race relations and realities in the contemporary United States. We will examine some of the historical background that has led to systemic and institutional racism, though much of the focus in this course will be on recent scholarly work in this area as well as developments in the wider society. Specific topics will include the Black Lives Matter movement, the role of racism in the 2016 election, and the increasing visibility to white supremacist, neo-Confederate, and other racist groups. Considerable attention will also be paid to evaluating efforts to combact racism and what students themselves can do to promote racial justice in their communities. Senior standing required.