SOC785 Anthropology of Race and Ethnicity

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2013
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Miklós Vörös, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Ladislav Rabušic, CSc.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
each odd Friday 8:30–11:40 U35
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/20, only registered: 0/20, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
By the end of the semester, students should be able to:
• Recognize, define and discuss race and ethnicity as social constructions
• Review and analyze patterns of racial and ethnic inequality at the national and global level
• Compare and contrast institutional discrimination and personal prejudice
• Apply a sociological lens for analysis of racial and ethnic phenomena in various social spheres, including the state, the economy, the family, education, religion and civil society
• Critically reflect about their own experiences in light of sociological and historical data.
• To cultivate research proficiency and expertise by undertaking a semester-long research paper that involves primary sociological texts, the incorporation of a strong thesis and multiple drafts
Syllabus
  • Scholarship on race and ethnicity is critical to a truly global sociology. A sociological approach to the topic begins with the assumption that race and ethnicity are socially and politically constructed phenomena. Racial and ethnic categories vary significantly across time, place and space, and it is crucial to explore their continuing significance. They are key components in socioeconomic, political and cultural stratification and collective organization and action and they also establish the foundation of individual and group identities as they are conceptualized and lived on a day-to-day basis. In this course, we will explore different theoretical and empirical approaches to the sociological study of race and ethnicity. Three main goals direct the focus of the course:
  • 1) Understanding the social construction of race and ethnicity within national and global contexts
  • 2) Explaining and reflecting upon the ways in which racial and ethnic categories create structural and institutionalized inequalities
  • 3) Thinking about our own social location within the context of race and ethnicity on a local and global level, from a historical and contemporary perspective.
  • Timetable:
  • •1st Seminar: Introduction
  • •2nd Seminar: Race and Ethnicity as Sociohistoric Constructions
  • •3rd Seminar: Ethnicity as a Variable
  • •4th Seminar: Race, Ethnicity and Immigration–“White Ethnics” in USA
  • •5th Seminar: Racism, Prejudice and Discrimination
  • •6th Seminar: African Americans in the United States
  • •7th Seminar: No class – reading period
  • •8th Seminar: Representations of Race & Ethnicity (Museum trip)
  • •9th Seminar: Roma in the Czech Republic & Europe
  • •10th Seminar: The European Case: Great Britain and France
  • •11th Seminar: Brazil: A “Racial Democracy”
  • •12th Seminar: “Modern Peoplehood”: Islamic and other “Others”
  • •13th Seminar: Conclusion – “After race?”
Literature
    required literature
  • BANCROFT, Angus. Roma and gypsy-travellers in Europe : modernity, race, space and exclusion. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2005, 198 s. ISBN 0754639215. info
  • DARDER, Antonia and Rodolfo D. TORRES. After race : racism after multiculturalism. New York: New York University Press, 2004, ix, 189. ISBN 0814782698. info
  • Race critical theories : text and context. Edited by Philomena Essed - David Theo Goldberg. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 2002, xix, 537. ISBN 0631214380. info
  • Rethinking the color line : readings in race and ethnicity. Edited by Charles A. Gallagher. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003, xx, 626. ISBN 0767420918. URL info
  • A companion to racial and ethnic studies. Edited by David Theo Goldberg - John Solomos. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 2002, xiii, 610. ISBN 0631206167. info
  • Racism. Edited by Leonard Harris. Amherst, N.Y.: Humanity Books, 1999, 484 p. ISBN 1573926396. info
  • Theories of race and racism : a reader. Edited by Les Back - John Solomos. 1st pub. London: Routledge, 2000, xxiv, 646. ISBN 0-415-15671-8. info
  • LIE, John. Modern peoplehood. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2004, x, 384. ISBN 0674013271. info
  • MARGER, Martin N. Race and ethnic relations :american and global perspectives. 2nd ed. California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1991, xvi, 591 s. ISBN 0-534-13950-7. info
  • MILES, Robert and Malcolm BROWN. Racism. London ; New York: Routledge, 2003, xi, 197. ISBN 0415296773. URL info
  • Race and ethnicity : comparative and theoretical approaches. Edited by John Stone - Rutledge M. Dennis. Malden: Blackwell, 2003, xiv, 406. ISBN 0631186344. info
  • More than just race : being black and poor in the inner city. Edited by William Julius Wilson. 1st ed. New York: Norton & Company, 2009, xii, 190. ISBN 9780393067057. info
Assessment methods
Conditions for passing the course:

1.Regular Attendance and active participation in seminar discussions (“Even to have expressed a false thought boldly and clearly is already to have gained a great deal.” Ludwig Wittgenstein)
2.Short (1-page) written responses to readings. (The responses should be a reaction/critical engagement rather than a simple summary of the readings assigned for the week. You might focus on the questions you want to ask in the class, or point to gaps and conflicts in one or more readings.)
3.Being a discussant for one assigned reading. (A discussant will be responsible for leading at least a brief discussion around the points raised in his/her weekly electronic reading notes.)
4.Written final exam (6 essay questions to be answered outside of class)
5.Final essay or research proposal (topic of student’s choice in consultation with instructor; minimum 10-12 pages)

Particular activities of students will be evaluated as follows:
25% - reading, responses and class participation
15% - discussant performance
25% - written exam
35% - academic paper
Language of instruction
English
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2014, Autumn 2014, Spring 2015.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2013, recent)
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