Political Science 825Fall Semester 2017
Professor Marquez403 North Hall
263-2389
RACE AND POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES
The goal of this course is to explore the major concepts and debates in the field of racial and ethnic politics. Research on race and politics can be found across all areas of political science but it is also an area of study where political scientists rely on research conducted in other fields. Hence, the schedule of readings will reflect the broad, interdisciplinary nature of the sub field. This graduate seminar will cover three themes. The first is the issue of race and how it has been conceptualized in the social science literature. The second is the wayclass structures race relations. Finally, we will analyze strategies employed by people of color to achieve political power and create change. Discussions will center on the long-standing debates in the social sciences. To that end we will read some classic research in addition tomore recent cutting-edge work. The following books are on reserve and have been ordered for purchase at the Room of One’s Own bookstore.
Matt Barreto and Gary Segura. Latino America: How America’s Most Dynamic Population is Poised to Transform the Politics of the Nation.
Lisa Garcia Bedolla and Melissa R. Michelson. Mobilizing Inclusion: Transforming the Electorate Through Get-Out-the-Vote Campaigns.
Stephen Cornell. The Return of the Native: American Indian Political Resurgence.
Kathy Cramer. The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker.
Erik Love. Islamophobia and Racism in America.
Douglas McAdam. Political Process and the Black Protest Movement, 1958-1970.
Efren O. Perez. Unspoken Politics: Implicit Attitudes and Political Thinking.
Roediger, David. Working Toward Whiteness: How America’s Immigrants Became White.
Eric Schickler. Racial Realignment: The Politics of American Liberalism, 1932-1965.
Sanjoy Chakravorty, Devesh Kapur and Nivikar Singh. The Other One Percent: Indians in America.(Selected Chapters).
William J. Wilson. The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass, and Public Policy (Third Edition).
Course Requirements
I. Class Participation
The course will be run as a seminar. Everyone is expected to read the assigned materials carefully, attend all seminar meetings and participate in discussions. To facilitate discussions, each week one student will act as a discussion leader. S/he will present a theoretical analysis of the week’s assigned reading. It should take ten or fifteen minutes. Be prepared to field questions from the instructor and other seminar participants. Part of the assignment is to stimulate our thinking and collective discussions. Emphasize the author’s major contributions, flaws and methods. Suggest other questions the author might have considered, methodological issues and further avenues of inquiry.
To further facilitate discussion, all seminar participants are required to submit a one page reaction paper throughout the semester. In these papers students should raise points of agreement or disagreement with some aspect of the author’s work. These papers are required but will not be graded individually. A copy of these papers should be sent to me and posted onthe class list by 9:00 a.m. every Monday so that we all have access to them. In addition, students should post their research papers to the class list as an email attachment so that we all have access to them (). You will also be asked to begin the discussion in one class of your choice. I will have you sign up for these after the first seminar meeting.
II.A Major Research Paper
A 30 to 35 page research paper relating to the politics of race and ethnicity, broadly defined. You are free to choose your topic and approach. Please see me about the subject matter of your paper as early in the semester as possible. A draft of the paper is due on November 13th. The draft can be a preliminary version of the entire paper or a draft of a section or two of the final paper. Please post a copy on the class list and bring two hard copies to class, one for the instructor and another for a class member to read and critique. Comments from the instructor and fellow students will be due on the following week, Monday November 20th. The final draft is due on the last scheduled class meeting, Monday December 11th. On that day, each of you will present your paper to the seminar as if you were delivering it at a professional conference.
III. Grading Criteria
The course grade will be determined as follows:
Weekly Class Participation.…… 30%
Research Paper……………..….. 70%
Office Hours:
Wednesday 1:30 to 3:30 and by appointment in 403 North Hall. I can be reached via email at
Please feel free to make an appointment to see me or drop by during my office hours.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: September 11th Introduction and Organization; The Social Construction of Race
David Roediger. Working Toward Whiteness: How America’s Immigrants Became White.
Week 2: September 18th Partisan Politics and Race
Eric Schickler. Racial Realignment: The Politics of American Liberalism, 1932-1965.
Week 3: September 25th TheCivil Rights Movement
McAdam, Douglas. Political Process and the Black Protest Movement, 1958-1970.
Week 4: October 2nd Racial Consciousness and Electoral Politics
Katherine Cramer. The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker.
Week 5: October 9th The Roots of Native American Politics
Stephen Cornell. The Return of the Native: American Indian Political Resurgence.
Week 6: October 16th The Declining Significance of Race
William J. Wilson. The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass, and Public Policy (Third Edition).
Week 7: October 23rd Asian Americans, Race and Mobility
Sanjoy Chakravorty, Devesh Kapur and Nivikar Singh. The Other One Percent: Indians in America. Read chapters 1-4. Peruse chapters 5-7.
Week 8: October 30th Getting Out the Vote
Lisa Garcia Bedolla and Melissa R. Michelson. Mobilizing Inclusion: Transforming the Electorate Through Get-Out-the-Vote Campaigns.
Week 9: November 6th Immigration and Racial Attitudes
Efren O. Perez. Unspoken Politics: Implicit Attitudes and Political Thinking.
Week 10: November 13th Islamophobia in American Life
***DRAFT ESSAYS DUE***
Erik Love. Islamophobia and Racism in America.
Week 11: November 20thDiscussion of Research Projects
***CRITICAL COMMENTS DUE***
Week 12: November 27thLatinos and the Vote
Matt Barreto and Gary Segura. Latino America: How America’s Most Dynamic Population is Poised to Transform the Politics of the Nation.
Week 13: December 4th
The seminar will not meet and students should devote their time to writing and polishing their paper.
Week 14: December 11th
***PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION OF FINAL PAPERS***