This course will examine the experiences of different racial minorities in both the U.S. and other countries. The course will begin with a conceptual discussion of race, particularly how race forms a social structure based on the ideas of white supremacy and how this system affects the lives of racial minorities today. We will then examine the particular experiences of four major racial minority groups: Blacks/African Americans, Latinos, American Indians/Native Peoples, and Asians. We will examine these groups in the U.S. context as well as select international contexts, e.g. Blacks in the Caribbean, Native Peoples in Australia, and Southeast Asians in Japan. Additionally, we will examine some major contemporary issues regarding race, specifically the issues of immigration and affirmative action. The course will conclude with a discussion on potential solutions to problems of racial discrimination both domestically and globally. Required readings will consist of one or two articles or chapters per class, which will be available on Blackboard. Grades will be based on three in-class short-answer exams; there will not be a comprehensive final exam.
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