SELECTED TOPICS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT: RACE/ETHNICITY IN AMERICAN POLITICS

The purpose of this course is to carefully consider some fundamental issues regarding race/ethnicity in American politics, including its roots or ‘causes’ and its ‘consequences’ or impacts, through a broad examination of the political science research which addresses a range of dimensions relevant to the topic. We aim to understand and critically assess the sources, nature and extent of impact of race/ethnicity in American politics as revealed in systematic studies of these phenomena, demonstrated in the body of research.   An underlying assumption of the course is that race/ethnicity has been and continues to be an important feature of American politics, albeit in changing ways and to varying degrees.  Beyond being a substantial social factor or force in itself, understanding race/ethnicity helps illuminate (and is illuminated by) core ideas and institutions of the political system.