HSSW 515A: Race/Ethnicity and Gender in Human Services Research

SYLLABUS

HSSW 515a: Race/Ethnicity and Gender in Human Services Research

Fall 2014

Instructor: Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson Ph.D., M.P.H., M.A.

E-mail:

Office: Room 349 Heller Brown Building

Phone: 781-736-3757

Course Time: Wednesday 2:00 – 5:00 pm

Office Hours: By appointment

Classroom Location: G54

Goals of the Course

This seminar explores theoretical and empirical approaches to addressing race/ethnicity and their intersections with gender, SES, immigrant status and other social identities in research for health and human service practices, programs and policies in the United States. The course will begin by addressing how race and ethnicity are defined and conceptualized and will then distinguish between health/social status measures and access and care measures relating to race and ethnicity. Historic and current perspective on how health and social inequities are conceptualized and articulated (quality, population-based, social justice) through public policy and programs, by various stakeholders will also be highlighted. This introduction will provide a context to learn more about and critique research designs and analytic methods to measure inequities and understand their causal factors. In addition, students will learn about research methods that emanate out of critical theories - such as counter-story-telling, feminist participatory action research, auto-ethnography and participatory witnessing, Further, they will consider how the race of the researcher affects the research process. Students will be exposed to the literature on intersectional research techniques and theories, as well as newer research methods that facilitate studies on inequalities, such as multi-level modeling, network analysis and geo-coding. Further, the course will address the uses of qualitative and mixed methods techniques to study inequities, and special considerations when utilizing these methods to study persons of color. Finally, we will examine and critique proposed policies put forth by think tanks and other organizations addressing key challenges faced by those impacted by structural and other inequities. Doctoral students who are currently utilizing some of the methods highlighted in the course may also be invited to share their research experiences. Throughout the course students will have the opportunity to reflect on their own research interests, prior experiences, and future direction. Group exchange and critical thinking are at the core of this course.

Intended Audience

This seminar is appropriate for Ph.D students who have an interest or are writing a dissertation related to race and ethnicity in health or social services. It is also appropriates for masters level students who will pursue a career as a manager or administrator in a health or human services organization that will need to utilize data to make decisions in regard to patients or clients of color, as well as communities.

Format

The method of instruction will consist of class discussion and presentations. This seminar will include opportunities for experiential learning. Participants will reflect their personal experiences with health care and human service institutions as employees and clients/patients. They will also discuss their experiences as researchers and research participants.

For each class roundtable questions will be provided on the syllabus. These questions will provide a way for students to focus their reading as well as guide classroom discussion. Students are also encouraged to consider what additional questions are generated from the readings, and how these issues may relate to their current research. Students will also engage in writing short paper/exercises, a paper proposal and a final paper, policy brief or memo.

Course Grade:

1) The final assignment - 35%

2) Draft proposal – 10%

3) Racism Measures Assignment 15%

4) Ethics or Data Set Assignment (your choice) 15%

3) Meaningful participation in class discussion - 25%

At the beginning of the semester, grading criteria for each type of assignment will be given.

Course Requirements

Complete readings and participate fully in the seminar.
Complete all short paper assignments
Submit a draft proposal of the final assignment
Submit a final paper by Dec 12, 2013

Final Project

Ph.D students: will conduct a systematic literature review or research proposal. The proposal should include the following: research objectives, theories utilized, proposed data sources and/or data collection methods, an analytic plan, and expected use of findings. The research project will utilize one or more chosen research tools/methodologies (counter-storytelling, quantitative methods, oral history, participatory witnessing, policy analysis/interpretation etc).

Masters students: may propose development of a management intervention or programmatic change – rather than a research initiative – as their final paper. In this case the final paper should be in the form of a management brief in two sections: first, a research and organizational context will review relevant prior studies and recommendations, and their applications to a particular organization’s challenge in managing disparities in access, treatment, or outcomes of populations or communities of color, and second, a proposed intervention, including goals, measurable objectives, staff and consultant roles, timelines, and a project evaluation plan.

Alternatively master’s student could write a brief with an accompanying background paper for a Congressional Office or think tank that focuses on race/ethnicity utilizing data and/or critiques of data to advocate for a particular approach or method.

All final projects are due on December 12 and should be no more than 10 pages. Students are expected to meet with the instructor on a regular basis on the final student (as determined by the instructor and the student)

Class Attendance and Participation

As this is a seminar it is vitally important that readings are completed, digested and thought about. This will enhance the vitality and the scope of the class discussion

Readings

Readings will consist of works that are theoretical and/or methodological in nature and illustrate the manifestations of inequalities in health and human services or communities, and highlight challenges in public policy or research applications or considerations

One way to maximize your understanding of the readings is to thoroughly consider the following:

1)What is the goal of the article/reading and/or what is the research question?

2)What data are utilized? What are the sources of the data? How are the data collected?

3)How are the data analyzed?

4)What are the findings and conclusions

5)What are the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s methodology and/ or argument?

6)What is particularly meaningful/unique/striking about the reading?

7)What particular questions/thoughts are provoked by your reading?

Required Texts

Foss, SK, Waters, W. (2007) Destination Dissertation: A Traveler’s Guide to a Done Dissertation, Lanham, Maryland, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Knight, GP, Roosa, MW, Umana-Taylor, AJ. (2009). Studying Ethnic Minority and Economically Disadvantaged Populations: Methodological Challenges and Best Practices, Washington, D.C: American Psychological Association

Recommended Texts

Kawachi, I., Berkman, L (Eds.) (2003). Neighborhoods and Health, New York: Oxford University Press

Gunaratum, Y (2003). Researching “Race” and Ethnicity: Methods, Knowledge and Power, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd.

John Stanfield (Ed.) (2011). Re-thinkingRace, Ethnicity in Research Methods, Walnut Creek, California, Left Coast Press

Brown, L , Strega, S., (2005).Research as Resistance, Critical, Indigenous and Anti-Oppressive Approaches, Toronto, Canadian Scholars’ Press

Krysan, M., Lewis, AE (Ed.) (2006). The Changing Terrain of Race and Ethnicity. New York, Russell Sage Foundation

Berger, M, Guidroz, K. (Ed.). (2009) The Intersectional Approach: Transforming the Academy, Chapel Hill, The University of North Carolina Press

Session 1.August 28. An Introduction to the Course and Examining the Context of Inequality

On the first day of the class an overview of the course will be provided, including course expectations. We will also examine the course outline in detail and answer any questions.

Roundtable: Each student will introduce themselves and highlight their individual research and/or professional interests. Further students will articulate their specific reasons for taking the course, and identify topic areas, conceptual frames, and methodologies that they would like to explore.

We will also discuss topics in the news, particularly and how we can make research relevant to that effort.

PLEASE NOTE THAN AN “*” IDENTIFIES THE MOST IMPORTANT READINGS FOR THE SPECIFIC CLASS SESSION

Session 2: Sept 4. Addressing and Not Addressing Race, Ethnicity in Health and Human Services Research: Why Does it Matter?

This session will highlight key considerations when conducting research related to racial/ethnic populations and the politics of race/ethnicity research. It will also discuss how power relations impact on how research is conducted and who and what is a focus of the research.

Round Table: Impressions and thoughts about the readings? What significance does population characteristics and distribution have on the research enterprise? What are the four common research designs highlighted by Knight and have you been involved in research utilizing any of these designs? What are some key issues relating to power and race/ethnicity research historically and today? How is this manifested in regard to what research questions can be asked, who defines the research agenda, or determines what is published etc? Why is the concept of race/ethnicity complex according to Gunaratnam and how may this influence research? What are the key characteristics or ways to be an anti-oppressive researcher? How do we use research for social change?

Readings

Historical Underpinning

Basu, D. (2001). The Colorline and Sociology. In P. Ratcliffe (Eds). The Politics of Social Science: Research, Race, Ethnicity and Social Change, New York, Palgrave Publishers, pp.18-40

General Considerations in Thinking about Race/Ethnicity in Research

Knight et. al (2009). Introduction to Studying Ethnic Minority and Economically Disadvantaged Populations, In G.M. Knight, M.K. Roosa, and A.J. Umana Taylor (Eds.). Studying Ethnic Minority and Economically Disadvantaged Populations: Methodological Challenges and Best Practices, pp. 3-28. *

Critical Perspectives in Race/Ethnicity Research

Brown, L., Strega, S., (2005). Research as Resistance, Canadian Scholars Press,

Becoming an Anti-Oppressive Researcher, Chapter 10, pp. 255- 286 *

Gunaratum, Y (2003). Researching “Race” and Ethnicity: Methods, Knowledge and Power, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd. (Read chapters 1)

Rethinking Race, Ethnicity and Research Methods

John Stanfield (Ed.) (2011)Epistemological Reconsiderations and New Considerations: Or What Have I Been Learning since 1993? in Re-thinkingRace, Ethnicity in Research Methods. *

Session 3: September 18. Defining and Conceptualizing the Meanings of Race, Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Position

There has been extensive debate in the social sciences and health/social service research about what exactly “race/ethnicity” and “SES” mean. These concepts have been given relatively ambiguous policy, program, practice related definitions. There have also been many debates on how to categorize racial/ethnic groups. This session will focus on these concerns.

Roundtable: Personal Impressions of the readings? How have you used race and ethnicity in your previous/current work? How has the meaning of race and ethnicity changed over time? What is the relationship between and/or distinctions between race and ethnicity? Are there divergent views? Why does how one conceptualizes race and ethnicity or social position make a difference? What is meant by the Latin Americanization of race relations? How is it manifested? What are the key ideas and challenges relating to the meaning and use of race/ethnicity as a variable in research and how does SES fit into this equation? How has the census changed over the years? What are the specific questions related to race/ethnicity in 2010 census and what was the rationale for those changes? What are some of the special considerations/challenges when categorizing specific racial and ethnic groups (Asians, Latinos and Blacks). If you have time please view older census surveys found in the RCMD to shed light on our discussion. Additional thoughts?

Conceptualizing Race and Ethnicity

General Considerations

*Lewis, A.E., Krysan, M., Harris. Introduction: Assessing Changes in the Meaning and Significance of Race and Ethnicity in A.E. Krysan and A. Lewis (Eds). The Changing Terrain of Race and Ethnicity.

Bonilla-Silva, E. We Are All Americans: The Latin Americanization of Race Relations in the U.S. in The Changing Terrain of Race and Ethnicity

Racial Variables in Research

*Cooper, R.A. (2002). On the Biological Concept of Race and Its Application in Epidemiological Research. In T.A. LaVeist (Ed.). Race Ethnicity and Health: A Public Health Reader. San Francisco: Jossey Bass (pp. 99-114)

*Lin, S., Kelsey, J. (2000). Use of Race and Ethnicity in Epidemiologic Research: Concepts, Methodological Issues, and Suggestions for Research. Epidemiologic Reviews, 22 (2) 187-189.

*Ford, C.I. (2010). A New Conceptualization of Ethnicity for Social Epidemiologic and Health Equity Research, Social Science of Medicine, 71, 251-258. *

Gunaratum, Y (2003). Researching “Race” and Ethnicity: Methods, Knowledge and Power, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd. (read chapter 2 pp. 28-52)

Conceptualizing Socio-Economic Position

*Braveman, P.A., Cubbin, C., Egerter, S.. Chideya, S., Marchi, K.S. et.al. (2005). Socioeconomic Status in Health Research: One Size Does Not Fit All, JAMA, 294,

2879-2888.

Categorizing Race/Ethnicity

The Census Questions on Race and Ethnicity

*Its Time: Make Yourself Count: Census 2010

*Racial Categorization in the 2010 Census. US Commission on Civil Rights,

March 2009 (Briefing Report)

Prewitt, K., Fix the Census’ Archaic Racial Categories, August 21, 2013

Acculturation

Ana F. Abraído-Lanza, Adria N. Armbrister, Karen R. Flórez, and Alejandra N. Aguirre. Toward a Theory-Driven Model of Acculturation in Public Health Research. American Journal of Public Health: August 2006, Vol. 96, No. 8, pp. 1342-1346.

*Lara M, Gamboa C, Kahramanian MI, Morales LS, Bautista DE Acculturation and Latino health in the United States: a review of the literature and its sociopolitical context, Annu Rev Public Health. 2005;26:367-97. (read first eight pages)

Mexican, Hispanic and Latin America Top List of Race Write Ins, Pew Research

Hispanic/Latino and Mixed Race Populations

U.S Census looking at Big Changes in How it Asks About Race and Ethnicity (2014)

Asian- Americans

*Park, J. (2008). Second Generation Asian-Americans Pan-Ethnic Identity: Pluralized Meaning of A Racial Label, Sociological Perspectives, 51 (3) *

Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Research Consortium. Letter to the Pew Research Center, June 22, 2012

Pew Research Center, “ The Rise of Asian-Americans, Updated Edition, April 4, 2013

(focus on the methods section of the report pp. 197 forward).