Race and Ethnicity - SOC 266
https://courses.vccs.edu/courses/SOC266-RaceandEthnicity
Effective: 2021-08-01
Course Description
Considers race and ethnicity as social constructs that deeply affect personal experience and social institutions. Examines the relationships of racial and ethnic groups with each other and with larger society including ideas of racial inequality both individually and systemically. Introduces significant theoretical approaches to the study of race and ethnicity.
Lecture 3 hours. Total 3 hours per week.
3 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
SOC 266 is a course for students whose college and career paths necessitate knowledge of the construction and operation of race and ethnicity in society. This course exposes students to the major theories of race and ethnicity and how to apply them to better understand the world around them. It also develops the need for sound social science to understand and more fully participate in civic life. Accordingly, students will grapple with sociological reasoning and research to support reasonable conclusions.
Course Objectives
- Cultural and Social Understanding
- Identify and assess the relationship between institutions and individuals.
- Recognize the impact that culture has on the understanding of race and ethnicity.
- Critical Thinking
- Evaluate evidence carefully and utilize reasoning skills in order to comprehend complex social issues
- Use sociological concepts/scholarly sources to examine complex social issues and promote problem solving.
- Apply course concepts to construct a logically sound and well-reasoned argument.
- Communication
- Demonstrate the ability to develop, convey, and exchange ideas in writing, as appropriate to a given context and audience.
- Theory and Application
- Explain the major theoretical perspectives of race and ethnicity.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply them to understand social organization/institutions and systems of inequality.
- Social Construction
- Explain the various ways in which race is a socially constructed notion (historical, legal, individual and institutional)
- Demonstrate how this construction impacts individuals and larger society.
- Systems of Inequality
- Explain how race and ethnicity serves as a major system of inequality.
- Explain various levels of prejudice and discrimination on both the macro and micro level.
- Demonstrate the consequences of various forms of inequality.
Major Topics to be Included
- Theory and Application
- Social Construction
- Systems of Inequality