Special Topics in Political Science (390-0-25)

Topic

Racial and Ethnic Politics

Instructors

Julianne Lee Merseth Cook
847/467-0276

Meeting Info

University Library 4722: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

This course provides an introduction to racial and ethnic politics in the United States. We begin by studying the concept and construction of race, focusing on evolving racial discourse from the late twentieth-century to present-day and paradigms of racial hierarchy that move beyond the black-white binary. We then examine the promises and pitfalls of forming panethnic racial categories/classifications, racial(ized) group identities, and racial group interests. Next, we turn our attention to political participation and mobilization with a focus on race-based political activism, studying examples of contemporary race and protest in the U.S. (e.g., Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, White Power). Lastly, we explore the politics of race and representation in popular culture (e.g., music, film/television) and in electoral politics (e.g., candidates and campaigns in the 2024 Election) to further illuminate how race critically shapes democratic processes and outcomes. Throughout the course we attend to the intersections of race with other identities such as ethnic/national origin, nativity, citizenship status, legal status, class, age, gender, sexuality, and religion.

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration -- Reserved for Political Science students until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites.