Identity and U.S. Policy (322-DL-20)

Instructors

Christine Wood

Meeting Info

Online: TBA

Overview of class

This course focuses on the intersection of social identity and policymaking in the US. We will define what we mean by "social identity" and explore how rights and resources reflect the cultural and social conditions under which identity categories form and become salient. The conceptual lenses through which identity can be understood include symbolic interactionism, social structural theory, intersectionality, legal and juridical theories, and social history. By engaging material across fields like sociology, law, gender and sexuality studies, and ethnic and racial studies, students will examine how identity influences and is influenced by policy decisions.

Each week, students will consider case studies and pivotal events in US history that reflect identitarian conflicts over rights and resources, including the Civil Rights and racial equity movements, LGBTQ equality, women's movements, and immigrants' rights. Course materials will include a mix of scholarly articles, primary historical documents, legal case studies, and other contemporary media sources.

This course is tailored for students aspiring to careers in law, advocacy, policy making, governance, the nonprofit sector, and other related fields. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with critical analytical skills and a nuanced appreciation of how identity-related policies continue to influence society.

This course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.

Law and Policy concentration/elective certificate course for B.S. degrees.

Registration Requirements

Note: This course is limited to School of Professional Studies students only. Undergraduate students in other schools at Northwestern are not permitted to enroll in this course.

Prerequisites: none.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

· Summarize identity concepts using various social scientific and legal frameworks

· Describe how identity politics shape the development and enactment of social policies

· Explain the formation of social movements based on claims to rights and resources by identity groups

· Evaluate the limits of social policies for granting rights, resources, and privileges to members of minoritized groups

· Explain how social policies define and create boundaries around social identities like gender, race, class, and sexuality

· Interpret legislation and US policy debates from the perspective of identity politics

Class Attributes

Asynchronous:Remote class-no scheduled mtg time