Sociology 1021, Section 010
Race and Ethnic Relations in
the
Fall 2006
Lectures:
MWF
Professor:
Office/Phone: Ketchum 218A, 303-492-8626
E-mail: Liam.Downey@colorado.edu
TA: Brian
Hawkins (Brian.Hawkins@colorado.edu)
Office Hours: M,W
**You are
responsible for knowing the information in this syllabus**
***If you miss the 2nd and
3rd classes you will be dropped from the course***
NO
EXCEPTIONS
Course
Description and Goals: This course is designed to introduce you to the sociological
study of race and ethnicity. My three main goals this semester are to a) introduce
you to different explanations of racial and ethnic inequality in the United States,
b) show you how group interaction has contributed to racial and ethnic
inequality in the U.S., and c) show you how racial and ethnic inequality in the
U.S. have affected group interaction.
Sociologists argue that racial and ethnic inequality have
existed throughout
Another important goal of the class is to have you apply
critical thinking skills to the study of racial and ethnic inequality in the
Course
Assignments:
Your assignments in this class are designed to help meet the goals noted above.
In addition to your reading assignments, you will be required
to a) write a 2 page critical thinking essay worth 10% of your grade, b) write
two, 4-5 page essays, each worth 20% of your grade, and c) take two in-class
exams, each worth 25% of your grade.
Exams: You will take a mid-term exam on Oct. 20th and a final exam
on Dec. 18th. These exams will include short answer questions, essay questions,
and perhaps some multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank questions. You will do
much better on the exams if you attend class every day, take thorough lecture
notes, and use your lecture notes to prepare for the exams.
The essays must be printed on
a computer (or typed) using one-inch margins at the top and bottom and 1.25-inch
margins on the left and right. They must be double-spaced, using a 12-point
Times New Roman font. Staple a cover page to your essay so that you do not
waste space on your first page with your name and essay title.
All
written work must be original. In other words, do not use somebody else’s ideas without
properly citing the source of those ideas (your references must be listed on a
separate sheet). Keep direct quotes to an absolute minimum, but clearly cite
direct quotes when you use them. Remember, plagiarism is a serious offense
that can result in your failing the class.
Class Participation: You will not be graded on class participation. However,
students tend to learn more when they participate in class discussions and when
they ask questions about material that they find interesting or difficult to
understand. Do not hesitate to ask
questions in class. If you do not ask questions about the course material I
will assume you understand it.
Attendance: Regular class attendance is very important. Essay and exam questions
will be based on the ideas and materials covered in class lectures, class
discussions, and the readings. You will
not do well in this course if you do not attend class and do the reading.
If you miss a class it is your
responsibility to get lecture and discussion notes, as well as other course
information, from another student. If you still have questions after talking
with another student, please contact me or Brian Hawkins.
There will be no make-up exams. So do not miss the exams.
***The only times I
will make an exception to my late assignment and make-up exam policy is if you
provide me with written proof of a death in your family, a medical emergency, a
court date, a religious conflict, or your participation in a
university-supported activity.
Calculating
your final grade:
Assignment
Due Date
Essay 1 September 22 10 points (the critical thinking essay)
Exam 1 October
20 25 points
Essay 2 November
3 20 points
Essay 3 December
8 20 points
Exam 2 December 18 25 points
(
Total 100 points
90-100 points = A
80 - 90 points = B
60
- 70 points = D
0 - 60 points = F
I WILL NOT
NEGOTIATE GRADES
REQUIRED
Books
(available at the bookstore)
Ronald Takaki. 1993. A
Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural
Ron Suskind. 1998. A Hope in the
Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League.
Martinez, Ruben. 2000. Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail.
On-line
readings
In addition to the books listed above, you are also
responsible for reading several on-line readings. These readings are available
through WebCT.
WebCT
You can find on-line
readings and an electronic copy of the syllabus on WebCT. We will also use WebCT to post grades, assignments,
and important handouts, and to give last minute instructions. This means that
we expect you to log onto WebCT on a regular basis.
Logging into WebCT:
Login through CUConnect:
(1) go to https://cuconnect.colorado.edu/ (2) login using your CU Login Name
and IdentiKey password; (3) after login, click on Courses tab; (4) on the left
side of screen, WebCT will display; (5) click on the link for FA06: SOCY1021010;
(6) click on appropriate icon.
The course
is broken into four sections:
INTRODUCTION
TO THE SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF
RACE AND
ETHNICITY
Week 1:
Aug. 28: First Day of
Class
Aug. 30: Takaki, Chapter
1
Sept. 1: On-line “The Status of Majority and
Minority Groups in the
On-line (Optional) “Ethnic Studies”, selected
pages.
BIOLOGICAL, CULTURAL, AND STRUCTURAL
EXPLANATIONS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC INEQUALITY
Week 2:
Sept. 4: No Class (Labor
Day)
Sept. 6: On-line:
Diamond, Jared. “Race Without Color."
On-line: Wills, Christopher, "The
Skin We're In."
Sept. 8: On-line: Steinberg, Stephen, “The Culture of
Poverty Reconsidered”.
Week 3:
Sept. 11: On-line: MacLeod, Jay “Ain't No Makin' It”, selected pages
Sept. 13: No reading
Sept. 15: Takaki,
Chapter 2 and pages 21-23 (we may not
read this until Monday)
THE MULTICULTURAL HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES
Week 4:
Sept. 18: Takaki,
Chapter 2 and pages 21-23
Sept. 20: Takaki,
Chapter 3
Sept. 22: Essay 1 Due in class at the beginning of
class
Week 5:
Sept. 25: Takaki,
Chapter 4 and pages 79-83
Sept. 27: Takaki,
Chapter 5
Sept. 29: No
Week 6:
Oct. 2: Takaki, Chapter
6
Oct. 4: Takaki, Chapter 10
Oct. 6: No
Week 7:
Oct. 9: Takaki, Chapter
11
Oct. 11: No
Oct. 13: Takaki, Chapter
7
Week 8:
Oct. 16: No
Oct. 18: No
Oct. 20: Mid-Term Exam
CURRENT ISSUES
Week 9: Immigration
Oct. 23-27: Ruben Martinez. 2000. Crossing Over (Read Entire Book)
(Optional)
Takaki Chapters 7 and 12
Week 10: Immigration
Oct. 30: No Extra
Nov. 1: No Extra
Nov. 3: Essay 2 Due in class at the beginning of
class
Week 11: Native Americans
Nov. 6: Takaki, Chapter
9 and pp. 225-227.
Nov. 8: On-line:
“Blood Struggle”, Introduction, Chapter 1, and selected pages.
Nov. 10: On-line:
“The Missing Link (American Apartheid)”
Week 12: Black Poverty and
Racism
Nov. 13: On-line:
“Job Mismatch”
(Optional)
On-Line: “Social Change and
Social Dislocations in the Inner City”
Nov. 15: Begin
reading Ron Suskind. 1998. A Hope in the Unseen
Nov. 17: No
Extra
Week 13 (Nov. 20-24): No
Classes (Thanksgiving
Week 14: Black Poverty and
Racism
Nov. 27: Finish
reading A Hope in the Unseen (I will summarize my week 12 lectures and
discuss the second essay assignment)
Nov. 29: On
line: Feagin, Joe and Melvin Sikes. Living
With Racism (if you want, you only
need to read the highlighted sections).
On-Line “Discrimination
Testing”
Dec.
1: On-line: Kozol, Jonathon. Amazing Grace, selected pages.
Week 15: Black Poverty and
Racism
Dec. 4: No
Dec. 6: No
Dec. 8: Essay 3 Due in class at the beginning of
class
Week 16: Black Poverty and
Racism
Dec. 11: On-Line
“Hate Crimes”
Dec. 13: On-Line
“Affirmative Action”
Dec. 15: No
University Policies
ACCOMODATION:
Disability, Religious & Activity
Accommodations:
1. If you qualify for an
accommodation due to a disability, please submit to the instructor a letter
from Disability Services that details the appropriate accommodations by the end
of the second week of class. Disability Services determines accommodations
based upon documented disabilities. For more information call 303-492-8671,
visit Willard 322 or go to their website http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
2. Campus policy regarding religious
observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly
deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts
with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. If the observance of
a religious holiday or activity conflicts with the course requirements, please
make the dates of the conflict(s) known to the instructor in writing by the end
of the second week of class. http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
3. If participation in a
university-supported activity (athletic competitions, artistic performances,
etc.) conflicts with the course requirements, please make the dates and nature
of the conflicts known to the instructor in writing by the end of the second
week of class. Students will be asked to
provide evidence of participation for any exceptions.
HONOR
CODE:
All students of the
LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT:
Students and faculty each have
responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students
who fail to adhere to behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. See
polices at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student
SEXUAL
HARRASSMENT:
The
Professor Downey’s Expectations
1.
Come to class
every day.
2.
Come to class on
time every day.
3.
If you do arrive
late, come in quietly and find a seat near the door.
4.
Don’t leave the
room in the middle of class to go to the bathroom or for any other reason.
5.
If you absolutely
have to leave class early (for a doctor’s appointment for example):
a.
Tell me before
class
b.
Sit near the door
6.
No talking,
reading, playing on your computer, surfing the web, or sleeping in class.
7.
Stop talking and
reading as soon as class begins.
8.
Class begins on
time.
9.
Do not start to
pack your things before class ends.
10.
Take complete and
thorough lecture notes.
11.
If you miss class,
get lecture notes from another student (then talk to me if you do not
understand the notes).
12.
Treat everyone in
the room with respect.
13.
Participate in
class discussions.
14.
DO ALL THE
ASSIGNED
15.
STUDY SEVERAL
HOURS FOR EACH EXAM.