Political Research Seminar (395-0-31)
Topic
American Racial Politics from Obama to Trump
Instructors
Reuel Rogers
847/491-2644
Scott, #315
Meeting Info
Scott Hall 212: Tues 2:00PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
The election of Barack Obama, the country's first Black president, marked a significant watershed in American race relations. His presidency prompted heady expectations for greater racial tolerance and inclusion, but also fueled grim worries about racial backlash and conflict. The contest to select a new president, following Obama's two terms, and the victory of Donald Trump amplified the concerns about deepening racial divisions in the country. How could the same nation that elected Obama immediately elect Trump and then re-elect him again after a four-year interregnum? This is the animating paradox we explore in this seminar. The course examines shifts in American racial politics during the Obama and Trump presidencies.
We will consider each president's vision of the country's troubled racial history and ongoing racial challenges, juxtaposing Obama's aspirational appeal to multiracial democracy with Trump's stoking of racial grievance. Our survey will take stock of Blacks' political fortunes, racial attitudes across groups, reactions to demographic and economic change, and racial dynamics in party politics and public policies over the course of these two consequential presidencies. By the end of the course, students should have, at a minimum, a deeper, more fine-grained understanding of racial dynamics in American politics in the wake of these two historic presidencies. The more ambitious aim of the seminar is to help you cultivate or refine your own perspective on the quest for racial equality and nature of democracy in the United States.
Registration Requirements
Juniors/seniors only
Learning Objectives
The aim of the course is two-fold. The first goal is to help students develop fluency in the major debates about racial politics in the U.S. through the lens of the Obama and Trump presidencies. The second is to craft an independent research paper based on the topics and themes covered in these debates and the course material.
Evaluation Method
Research paper 35%; Prospectus 25%; Class Participation 30%; Abstract 10%
Class Materials (Required)
None. All required course materials will be available on Canvas.
Class Attributes
Advanced Expression