Introduction to Race and Ethnicity

Catalog description

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Examine racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.; evaluate the strengths and limitations of quantitative and qualitative information about racial and ethnic groups; synthesize arguments and evidence about the major sources of change in racial and ethnic relations and the processes and mechanisms associated with inequality in the United States historically and today; communicate sociological research findings to varied audiences; and apply sociological research materials to real-world cases and organizational contexts. Understanding how these groups and their histories are rooted in U.S. history not only provides historical context for understanding contributions but also helps us critically analyze social dynamics. In line with the American Sociological Association, sociology is the study of social life, social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to global communities; from deviance to organized crime; from religious traditions to state institutions; and from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture. The specific groups studied and readings assigned may vary depending on the instructor’s areas of focus and research expertise.