Race & Society

Course Overview

What is race? Is it something we’re born with? Is it an idea that society imposes on us? An identity we perform? A privilege we benefit from? Does our own culture’s conception of race mirror those found in other parts of the world? These are just a few of the questions that students in this course will explore together as they approach the concept of race as a social construct that shapes and is shaped by societies and cultures in very real ways. Throughout the course students will learn about the changing relationship between race and society across time and across cultures. Engaging with readings, films, and speakers from a variety of academic fields (history, sociology, anthropology, literature) students will explore, research, reflect on and discuss the complex set of relationships governing race and society.

NCAA-approved course

UC-approved course

Course Outline

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Competencies

• Reflect on and take responsibility for your learning and that of others
• Communicate and empathize with people who have perspectives and experiences different from your own
• Curate and create content relevant to real-world issues
• Organize your time and tasks to learn independently
• Acquire & apply the vocabulary required to talk about race
• Identify & analyze a local issue through the lens of race