Dr. Chiou-LingYeh
Office: AL517
E-mail: cyeh@mail.sdsu.edu
San Diego State University
Spring 2014
M265 TTH 12:30am-1:45pm
Office Hours: TTH 9:30-10:30 and by
appointment
History 548:
Race and Ethnicity in U.S. History
Course Description:
Did you know that Irish immigrants’ racial status was portrayed as similar to that of
African Americans in the 19th century? How did Irish immigrants become “white”? In
addition to the racial transformation of Irish immigrants, we will also discuss African
American boxers, Mexican migrant workers, Siamese twins, and much more.
This course will introduce a range of social, cultural, and political discourses concerning
race and ethnicity in U.S. History. Its focus is not to cover each racial and ethnic group
but to study the historical formation of race and ethnicity. It will examine the
construction of whiteness and of others as well as how minorities resisted, subverted, and
transformed dominant racial ideologies and practices. It will also underscore the
importance of thinking race and ethnicity beyond the black and white racial dichotomy.
Course Objectives: In this course, students are expected to learn the knowledge and
skills listed as follows:
1. To become informed about the major debates and theories in the study of race and
ethnicity.
2. To develop an ability to form historical arguments and learn how to glean data
from primary and secondary sources and weigh the reliability of such sources.
3. To understand historical relationships, including cause-and-effect that affects
continuity and change.
4. To develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills in analyzing and
understanding primary and secondary sources that explain major developments in
U.S. racial and ethnic history.
5. To develop presentation and discussion-leading skills in presenting and discussing
history.
6. To cultivate an ability to work in a group and to give constructed criticism and
responses in a scholarly community.
7. To recognize the process of racial formation and diverse cultures and groups in
U.S. society.
Requirements:
1. Discussion and Participation:
a. Attendance: Students are required to attend all classes, except in cases of
illness and emergency. (If you are sick, please do not come to class.) I
will pass around a sign-in sheet at the beginning of each class.
b. Participation (10%): Participation is crucial to this course and it does
not simply mean showing up for class. Instead, you are expected to listen
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to others, take notes in lectures and discussions, and most importantly,
share your thoughts and ask questions. Students need to complete the
weekly reading assignments and actively participate in discussions. This
grade will be based on the quality and quantity of attendance and
discussion. Preparation of all readings before class and please be sure to
bring assigned readings with you to the class. Also, I will call on you at
random to answer questions in class. This means that you need to be
prepared at all times.
Students are expected to be attentive and courteous. In other words, you
need to be actively participating in and not detracting from the class by
texting, surfing the internet, conversing with neighbors, and reading
non-course-related materials. More general behavior guidelines are
listed in the California Code of Regulations, Section 4101, included in the
San Diego State University General Catalogue.
c. Discussion Leading (10%): You will sign up to one 30-minute (two for
Graduate students) discussion sessions in the first week of class. You
will be responsible for crafting discussion questions and leading the class
in discussing the assigned reading. In order to do a good job, you will
need to:
 Read the week’s readings carefully.
 Presentation: you will begin with a 5-10-minute presentation of
the assigned reading, which should include the major argument
of the reading.
 Think of at least 10 interesting, thoughtful, analytical and
(preferably) controversial questions that will generate
discussions. The questions you prepared should cover major
themes in the assigned reading.
 Think of a method or two that will enable you to be effective in
leading discussions for 10-15 minutes. There are numerous
ways to lead a discussion such as debates, small group
discussions, and role playing, etc. You are encouraged to be
creative in this area. However, I strongly discourage you to use
any formats that only solicit factual information.
You need to e-mail me a list of questions at least one week
before the assigned meeting. A delay or failure to email me the
questions and method will result in a grade reduction. A
delay in each day will cost you a third of the grade (e.g. A will be
A-).
 This grade will be based on the quality of the questions and the
effectiveness of involving your peers in the discussion. (I
reserve the right in the first few weeks to move people into a
different date if there are no singed up for a particular week, or if
a number of students drop and the list has to be “rebalanced.”)
2. Two exams (undergraduate 20% each, graduate 15% each): The exam will
cover materials from course readings, discussions, videos and images presented
in class, and lectures. The best way to prepare for the exam is to keep up with
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3.
4.
5.
6.
readings, take careful notes in class and on readings, and actively engage in class
discussions. Exams include both long essay questions and short identification
questions.
One 10-page research paper (One 15-page research paper: graduate
students) (35%) You are required to complete a typed, numbered, doublespaced research paper that involves at least one racial and ethnic group. You can
be creative and innovative with this project. However, remember that it must be
completed by May 13th.
a. You need to begin your library research early. You are required to cite at least
three secondary references from scholarly journal articles, books, or graduate
thesis. Moreover, you need to include at least three primary documents, which
can be from newspaper articles, magazines, oral interviews, diaries, photographs,
etc. You can do some observations and gather documents from community
organizations, however, remember you have limited time to complete the paper.
You can also find research data via the internet but you have to limit it to one
citation.
b. You need to turn in a paper proposal which is due February 20th. The
proposal should include: A title, one paragraph about the proposed project and a
bibliography of primary and secondary sources in the Chicago style.
c. Your research paper will be graded on both the quality of your ideas and the
quality of your writing skills. Your paper should be well-organized, well-written,
and include thoughtful analysis. If you need assistance, please see the professor,
or a writing tutor.
d. Important: Make sure you retain a duplicate copy of your paper.
e. The final paper is due May 13th.
f. A paper guideline will be posted on blackboard.
Oral Presentation of Final Paper (5%): Each student is required to present the
final paper to class.
Two Oral Presentations and Two 3-Page Written Reports of Critical
Reviews (for graduate students, 10%): Graduate Students are expected to sign
up to two recommended books. Your critical reviews are due at the
beginning of class on the dates that you are responsible for oral
presentations. Each student will present the reviewed book orally to class for
10-15 minutes. Each essay needs to address the following questions.
a. What is the thesis of the book?
b. What new ideas or theories does the book introduce?
c. What kind of primary sources does the author use?
d. How does the author substantiate her/his argument?
e. What is your evaluation of the author’s idea?
f. What ideas or issues link the book to that week’s assigned reading?
Late papers will receive half credit, and will not be accepted later than the Friday
of the week in which they are due. No make-ups without prior permission. No
incompletes will be given for the course. Students are responsible for retaining a
copy of each of their papers. If you ask for a reevaluation of an assignment or
exam, you need to bring the paper or exam to my office hours or a scheduled
appointment. Keep in mind that your grade might go down, up, or stay the same.
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7. All students must regularly access their SDSU email accounts and this course’s
Blackboard web site for class announcements and information.
8. Academic integrity is expected of every student. See the SDSU General
Catalogue for more information.
9. If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations
for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at
(619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you
should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that
accommodations are not retroactive, and that I cannot provide accommodations
based upon disability until I have received an accommodation letter from Student
Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
10. The professor reserves the right to modify the syllabus during the semester.
Always feel free to come to my office hours for any course-related questions.
Required Readings:
James McBride, The Color of Water
Noel Ignatiev, How The Irish Became White
Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore, Gender and Jim Crow
Wendy Kline, Building A Better Race
Frances Esquibel Tywoniak and Mario Garcia, Migrant Daughter
Henry Yu, Thinking Orientals
Recommended:
José M. Alamillo, Making Lemonade Out of Lemons
Edward J. Blum, Reforging the White Republic
Ruth Feldstein, Motherhood in Black and White
Neil Foley, The White Scourge
Matt Garcia, A World of Its Own
Stephen Gould, The Mismeasure of Man
Alexandra Harmon, Indians in the Making
Thomas R. Hietala, The Fight of the Century
Matthew Frye Jacobson, Roots Too
Mitch Kachun, Festivals of Freedom
Christina Klein, Cold War Orientalism
Anthony Lee, Picturing Chinatown
Robert Lee, Orientals
Karen Leonard: Making Ethnic Choices
Karen Leong: The China Mystique
George Lipsitz, The Possessive Investment in Whiteness
Tiya Miles, Ties That Bind
Laura Pulido, Black, Brown, Yellow, and Left
Vicki Ruiz, Cannery Women, Cannery Lives
David Roediger, Working Toward Whiteness
Marlon Ross, Manning the Race
Edward Said, Orientalism
George Stocking, Race, Culture, and Evolution
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Martin Summers, Manliness and Its Discontents
Fred Wacker, Ethnicity, Pluralism, and Race
Mark Wild, Street Meeting
Course Outline:
Week 1 1/23
Week 2 1/28, 30
Week 3
2/4, 6
Week 4
2/11, 13
Week 5
2/18, 20
Week 6
2/25, 27
Week 7
3/4, 6
Week 8
3/11, 13
Week 9
3/18, 20
Week
10
3/25, 27
Week
11
4/8, 10
Week
4/15, 17
Introduction to the course
Concepts and Definitions
Reading: McBride, pp. 1-135
Construction of Whiteness
Special Collections Workshop (2/6)
Reading: Ignatiev, pp.1-105
Recommend: Roediger, Working Toward Whiteness
Blum, Reforging the White Republic
Reading: Ignatiev pp. 106-217
Recommend: Lipsitz, The Possessive Investment in Whiteness
Jacobson, Roots Too
Scientific Racism
Reading: Kline, pp.7-123
Recommend: Stocking, Race, Culture, and Evolution
Gould, the Mismeasure of Man
Work on the research paper proposal
Race, Class, Gender
Reading: Gilmore, pp.31-89
Recommend: Summers, Manliness and Its Discontents
Feldstein, Motherhood in Black and White
Research paper proposal due 2/25
Race, Class, and Gender Continued
Reading: Tywoniak, pp. 1-123
Recommend: Ruiz, Cannery Women, Cannery Lives
Miles, Ties That Bind
First Exam 3/13
Construction of “The Other”
Orientalism
Reading: Yu, pp. 15-90
Recommend: Lee, Picturing Chinatown
Said, Orientalism
Orientalism Continued
Reading: Yu, pp. 93-148
Recommend: Leong: The China Mystique
Yeh, Making an American Festival
Spring Break
Resistance
Reading: Gilmore, pp.119—224
Recommend: Hietala, The Fight of the Century
Pulido, Black, Brown, Yellow, and Left
Resistance continued
5
12
5/6, 8
Reading: Tywoniak, pp. 124-236
Recommend: Garcia, A World of Its Own
Alamillo, Making Lemonade Out of Lemons
Interracial Community
Reading: McBride, Finish
Recommend: Wild, Street Meeting
Foley: The White Scourge
Second Exam 4/29
Student Presentation
Student Presentation
5/13
Final Paper Due
Week
13
4/22, 24
Week
14
Week
15
Week
16
4/29, 5/1
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