COURSE DESCRIPTION 

Introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of Ethnic & Racial Studies. Explores  various ways race and ethnicity are created and re-created in society, and the way these  “social constructions” perpetuate (and even challenge) social equality. Examines the myths  and contradictions of race and racism, and what purposes these constructs serve in societies  where hierarchies and inequalities exist. By analyzing the complex intersections of race  and ethnicity within U.S. political and social structures, students gain a critical analysis of  historic and contemporary racial inequality, and consider the effectiveness of the various  solutions put forth by public policy, academics, and community activists.