Judi Kessler
Wallace 3
X2165;
jkessler@monm.edu
Office Hours: MWF 10-11:30, drop-in, & by appt.
Race & Ethnicity
Spring 2012
T Th 9:30-10:45, WH112
We study racial and ethnic
relations in the United States because, from its inception, U.S. society has
been built and organized around racial and ethnic hierarchies of privilege and
oppression. These hierarchies are remarkably stable and enduring and, as such,
continue to have profound consequences for individuals of both dominant and
subordinate racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
We will begin the semester
by defining and discussing major terms, concepts, and theories in the study of
racial and ethnic relations. This will be followed by an historical overview of
immigration in the context of economic and political conditions in the United
States. We will then study the experiences of Native Americans, Mexican
Americans, and African Americans.
In a departure from
previous semesters, we will be reading from only two books: the
Racial & Ethnic Relations text and
The Warmth of Other Suns, a
non-fiction chronicle of the 20th-century decades-long migration of
black citizens from the South to the North through the lives of three
individuals. Both books will be supplemented with handout articles and
documentary films. The Warmth of Other
Suns, 550 pages long, is a brilliant and riveting account of the Great
Migration. If you are not ready to commit to reading the entire book, this class
is not for you.
Goals:
Upon completion of this course, students should:
Understand the social origins and nature of race and ethnicity;
Understand the role of ideological racism in the founding and construction of
the United States;
Be able to explain the characteristics and consequences of racial ranking
systems;
Have a deeper knowledge of the situations and experiences of subordinate groups
in the United States over time, especially those of African Americans
Required Readings:
Racial & Ethnic Relations,
Ninth Edition
Joe R. Feagin and Clairece
Booher Feagin
Pearson
9780205024995
The Warmth of Other Suns:
The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration
Isabel Wilkerson
Random House
9780679444329
The Bedford Handbook
Diana Hacker
Bedford/St. Martin’s
Course Evaluation:
Exams (3)
45%
Quizzes & Papers
42-45%
Attendance/Participation
10-13%
Students must submit all
required work in order to be eligible to pass this course.
Exams:
Exams will be essay questions with a few terms to define. If you miss an exam
without notifying me beforehand, you forfeit the opportunity to reschedule and
will receive a “zero” for that exam. Rescheduled exams are at my discretion and
convenience, and only by prior arrangement.
Quizzes and Papers:
For The Warmth of Other Suns readings
you will either write a reflections paper or take an in-class essay quiz each
week for approximately 7 weeks, from around the 9th to the 15th
week. You must write at least 4 reflections papers. Included in this
portion of your grade will be your in-class oral summary and discussion of your
response paper. If you do not submit the response paper on time, you will
automatically take the in-class quiz. To reiterate: You must submit on time at
least 4 reflections papers.
Attendance/Participation:
There are no “excused” absences for select groups. All students are allowed a
limited number of absences that will not affect their attendance grade. Once you
have missed more than 10% of class sessions, your attendance grade will begin to
drop, depending on the number of absences. I will give consideration on a
case-by-case basis to unusual circumstances.
Regular, proactive class
participation will result in full participation credit. Little to no proactive
class participation will result in no participation credit. Spotty attendance
will affect your participation grade.
Sleeping in class, which
includes using your desk as a pillow, is not permitted. If you feel unable to
remain awake, you should quietly leave class until you are less somnolent.
Academic Honesty:
All written work must be submitted in hard copy to me and also to turnitin.com.
Students found to have engaged in plagiarism or any other form of academic
dishonesty will receive a “zero” for the assignment and may receive a failing
grade for the course. I will send a written report of all incidents of academic
dishonesty to the associate dean, per Monmouth College policy.
A Note Regarding Communications Technology:
Laptops may be used in class to take notes with my permission.
Audibles on all personal electronic devices are to be turned off during class.
All personal electronic devices, including cell phones, are to be put away (out
of sight) during class.
Students found texting or otherwise using their electronic devices in class will
automatically lose 5 points from their final course grade. A second infraction
will result in a failing grade for the course.
Reading
& Assignments Schedule (subject to change)
(27
class sessions)
Week 1 – Jan. 23-27
- F&F, Part I, C 1: The Racial and Ethnic Mosaic, Basic Concepts in the Study of
Racial and Ethnic Relations (pp 1-25)
Week 2 – Jan. 30 – Feb. 3
- Finish C1, begin F&F, C2: Adaptation and conflict: Racial and Ethnic Relations
in Theoretical Perspective (pp 26-53)
Week 3 – Feb. 6-10
- Finish C2
Week 4 – Feb. 13-17
- F&F, Part II, C3: A Nation of Immigrants, English Americans and the
Anglo-Protestant Culture (pp 55-83)
Week 5 – Feb. 20-24 (class will not meet on
2/23)
- Finish C3, Begin F&F, C6: Native Americans (pp 137-167)
First Exam - Mar. 1st - Study Guide
Week 6 – Feb. 27 – Mar. 2 - Finish C6
Week 7 – Mar. 5-9 - Finish C6
Spring break – 10-18
Week 8 – Mar. 19-23 - begin F&F C7: African Americans (pp 168-207)
Week 9 – Mar. 26-30 - finish C7
“This
was the culture from which I sprang. This was the terror from which I fled”
Begin The Warmth of Other Suns,
pp 539-543; pp 1-94
Week 10 – Apr. 2-5
“I am in the
darkness of the south…please help me to get out”
The
Warmth of Other Suns, pp 95-179
Easter break – April 6-9
Week 11 – Apr. 10-13
“It is a regular
exodus. It is without head, tail, or leadership.”
The Warmth of Other Suns, pp 181-237
Third reflections paper/quiz on Apr. 10th
Week 12 – Apr. 16-20 (no classes on 17)
“Honey-lipped, syphilitic – that is the South…I
seek the North…For she, they say, is a kinder mistress”
The
Warmth of Other Suns, pp 238-331
Week 13 – 23-27
“Let’s not fool
ourselves, we are far from the Promised Land, both north and south.”
The
Warmth of Other Suns, pp
332-431
Week 14 – Apr. 30 – May 4
The Warmth of Other Suns,
pp 433-525, 527-538, 545 – “The only
thing we are proud of in connection with the South is that we left it”
Week 15 – May 7-9
Third Exam – Monday May 14th – 9AM - WH112
Academic Support Services:
Teaching & Learning Center: Visit
us at the 2nd floor of Poling Hall from 8am-4:30pm or on line at
http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/academics/support/tlc
We can also be reached at:
tlc@monmouthcollege.edu
or 309-457-2257
Any student with a disability who needs
an accommodation should speak with the Teaching and Learning Center. The
Teaching and Learning Center is located on the 2nd floor of Poling
Hall, 309-457-2257, or
http://www.monmouthcollege.edu/life/disability-services