Instructor: Paul Harvey, M.A.
Paul.Harvey@colorado.edu
(970) 663-9065
Class Hours: TR 12:30 - 1:45, Environmental Design 120
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2 - 3, Thursdays 5-6, 409 Ketchum
Strangers to These Shores 8th ed, Vincent N. Parrillo. ISBN 0-205-45763-0
The Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2nd ed, Joan Ferrante and Prince Brown, Jr, editors. ISBN 0-13-028323-1
In this course we will conduct a survey and examination of race and minority problems in U.S. society, including the psychological, social, and cultural sources of prejudice and discrimination. We will consider who and what defines race, ethnicity, and the status that comes with those identities. In a dry academic sense, we will attempt to examine racial relations in modern US society.
The sociological approach used to examine any social phenomenon and those who participate in it should be eclectic, and I will rely heavily on a social constructionist perspective during this class. There is no one way to perform sociology, as each attempt to study society carries with it its own pedagogy, that is to say that every sociologist approaches society with different perspectives, knowledge, and theories. Understanding some of the theoretical approaches to race and ethnicity, how people create and perpetuate racial/ethnic social groups and social institutions, and finally how we can conduct social change and understanding regarding race and ethnicity are the central themes of this class. The central pillar to learning, understanding, and applying this material will be the sociological concept of perspective. By providing an opportunity for you to acquire a working knowledge of the varied perspectives and viewpoints of race and ethnicity at the societal, cultural, and individual level I hope that you, the student, will better understand the choices and values in all societies. At the same time I hope that you can provide for me a venue to continue to learn about the people in our society today.
This course is designed to teach you sociological concepts that will confront the way you think, challenge you to understand, and defend, society from multiple viewpoints, and to understand what happens when ideas, institutions, and actions are viewed from different perspectives. This process will probably be annoying at some point and offensive at others. When our viewpoints are challenged at their very foundation, the core of our value system is shaken. For many people this is disturbing and scary. That’s ok. The classroom environment for this course will be one of challenging the idea, not the individual; therefore all individuals are safe from ridicule and scorn, ideas are going to be challenged for support, not content. By integrating common themes from your lives and asking you to test commonly held assumptions, learning sociology will be taken to a new level, beyond rote knowledge becoming useful, applicable study. Hopefully, this will also stimulate further interest in the subject matter.
This course will have a total of four grading elements composed of two components: one component will be an in class project and the other will be three (3) In-Class Exams. Each element will be worth an equal portion, 33 points, towards your final grade. A portion of the project grade may involve class participation or demonstration of the concepts of sociological conflict. Of these four (4) total elements, the lowest score will be dropped, and the remaining five will comprise the final grade of 100 points.
The daily discussions will cover the material that is the assigned reading for the day and lecture material.
The In-Class Exams will be 33 multiple-choice questions. The material covered in the book, in any assigned readings, and in lecture is testable material. If you miss class you miss the opportunity to participate in lecture and to gather those notes and it may be detrimental to your grade. If you miss an exam, or are absent the day of an exam, and possess a valid excuse, make-ups may be given on the day of the final. For example, if you miss the second exam, you may be able take it on the day of the final along with the final, but at no other time.
The Final Exam is not cumulative. Each exam will cover material from either the start of class or the previous exam.
The In-Class assignment is a short presentation of an article that you will find and complete a short worksheet on. The presentation itself is basically a short question and answer session straight off of the presentation worksheet and will not require any formal attire or speech. I want you to contribute your ideas in a meaningful, structured way, but this isn’t a speech class so I don’t expect the next Gettysburg Address.
The Final Exam is on Sat. May 6th, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Please note, this is NOT at the normal class time, but it is in the normal class location.
You are responsible for all of the requirements in this syllabus. Any changes to this syllabus will be announced during classes.
Class Participation
Hate speech, in any form (including written, graphic, or gestured) will not be tolerated. This is a learning environment in a prestigious university setting. If you cannot or will not abstain from hateful, derogatory, or offensive communication, you will be dropped. That said, there will be times where an academic discussion of hate speech is necessary and the discussion will be conducted in a respectful, academic manner.
Typically, in this class, the material generates enough interest to elicit responses and discussion. If the class, as a whole, is not participating on a routine basis, I reserve the right to add a Participation element to your grade. I will of course notify you, in class, if this comes to pass, please make every effort to keep this out of the grading rubric. Your education is one of the few things that can NEVER stripped from you, please be attentive to the fact that college is a voluntary experience and act accordingly.
If there are ever any questions regarding assignments or class discussion that you wish to address confidentially, please fell free to e-mail me. If I bring the question up with the general class, I will not identify you.
I encourage students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, leaning disabilities, head injury, ADHD, psychiatric disabilities, to discuss with me, after class or during my office hours, appropriate accommodations so that your learning needs may be met.
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. (303-492-8671, Willard 322, www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices)
The University of Colorado abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which stipulates that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education “solely by reason of a handicap.” Disabilities covered by law include but are not limited to learning disabilities and hearing, sight, or mobility impairments.
Campus policy states that faculty must make reasonable accommodation for students’ religious observances and in so doing, be careful not to inhibit or penalize those students who are exercising their rights to religious observance. If you have any religious holidays that conflict with any portion of the class please come talk to me and we can work out a solution.
I highly value the mental labour that you and I both perform in this class. I honor the time and commitment that you have put forth as a student, to earn an honest grade, and to achieve an honest accomplishment. I expect you to honor my commitment as an instructor, the endeavor I try to accomplish, and the time I expend. I expect us all to uphold the University Honor Code.