Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
SOC 243:03
Bucknell University
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 2-2:52pm
Professor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Email Address:
Dr. Elizabeth Durden
Coleman 202
Monday 3-5 and by appointment
tdurden@bucknell.edu
Course Description
This course is a general introduction to the sociology of race and ethnicity. The
scholarship on race and ethnicity is central to American sociology. A sociological
approach to the topic begins with the assumption that race and ethnicity are socially and
politically constructed phenomena. Race/ethnic categories within the United States vary
significantly across time and place, and it is crucial to explore the continuing potent
punch of these groupings. You should leave this class with a strong foundation in how
sociologists approach the study of race and ethnicity.
In this course, we will explore the most significant theoretical approaches to the
sociological study of race and ethnicity. In addition, this course will also provide some
sense of the variety of racial and ethnic experiences within the United States. In the first
portion of the class, we will explore the recreation, negotiation and power of Whiteness
(Ethnic Options and Honky). The class will then move on to the African American
experience in the United States, exploring the ghetto neighborhood (Code of the Streets),
the experience of blacks within a meritocratic institution (All That We Can Be) as well as
the consequences of race relations on Caribbean Americanization (Black Identities). We
will continue the class by exploring the processes and impacts of international
immigration with a focus on the adaptation of Hispanics and Asians within the United
States (The Spirit Catches You). Finally, we will the end the course by exploring the
system of race relations in Brazil (Race in Another America: The Significance of Skin
Color in Brazil, Winner of the American Sociological Association’s 2006 Distinguished
Book Award), particularly focusing on how race relations in Brazil facilitate a greater
understanding of the situation within the United States.
Course Objectives
The primary objectives for this course are:
 To address race/ethnicity from a demographic and sociological perspective
 To become familiar with a variety of racial and ethnic experiences within the
United States and to be exposed to the particular system of race relations in Brazil
 To continue to develop and hone critical thinking skills by participating in class
discussions and completing writing assignments


To gain experience in intimate academic reading by analyzing and grappling with
sociological texts
To cultivate research proficiency and expertise by undertaking a semester-long
research paper that involves primary sociological texts, the incorporation of a
strong thesis and multiple drafts
Course Format
This course will be conducted as a mid-level seminar course. While I will provide the
occasional background material and lecture, it is the responsibility of each student to
come to each class prepared to contribute.
Reading for class is essential. Our classroom discussions will be built around assigned
texts, and each student is expected to contribute to the intellectual community of the
classroom. Preparing for class should involve reflecting upon the reading that is due.
Learning occurs best in a situation where students are actively engaging the material with
other students and the instructor. Learning also occurs best when everyone has read the
assigned materials. Therefore, to facilitate discussion and participation, discussion
questions have been included on the syllabus. It will behoove you to address the
discussion questions before you come to class, to assist us in creating a more lively and
interactive classroom setting. On your syllabus, discussion questions are often included.
It is the responsibility of the student to come to class prepared to answer the discussion
questions. In addition, the reading we tackle in this class is substantial and moves at a
very quick pace --- the discussion questions will guide you in your reading.
Course Texts and Articles
The following texts can be purchased in the Bucknell Bookstore. Please bring the
necessary book to class when assigned.
Elijah Anderson. 1999. Code of the Street: Decency, Violence and the Moral Life of the
Inner City. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.
Dalton Conley. 2000. Honky. New York: Vintage Books.
Anne Fadiman. 1998. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.
Charles C. Moskos, and John Sibley Butler. 1997. All that We Can Be: Black Leadership
in the U.S. Military. New York: Basic Books.
Edward E. Telles. 2005. Race in Another America: The Significance of Skin Color in
Brazil. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Mary Waters. 1990. Ethnic Options: Choosing Identities in America. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
Mary Waters. 1999. Black Identities: West Indian Immigrant Dreams and American
Realities. Cambridge: Harvard University Press and New York: Russell Sage
Foundation.
The following articles can be accessed via E-RES. Please bring the necessary articles
to class when assigned.
McKinnon, Jesse. 2003. The Black Population in the United States: March 2002. Current
Population Reports, P20-541, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington DC.
McIntosh, Peggy. 1990. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, excerpt.
Independent School. Winter Issue.
Morris, Edward W. 2005. “From ‘Middle Class’ to ‘Trailer Trash’: Teachers’ Perceptions
of White Students in a Predominately Minority School”. Sociology of Education 78 (2).
Ramirez, Roberto R., and G. Patricia de la Cruz. 2002. The Hispanic Population in the
United States: March 2002. Current Population Reports, P20-545, U.S. Census Bureau,
Washington DC.
Reeves, Terrance and Claudette Bennett, 2003. The Asian and Pacific Islander
Population in the United States: March 2002. Current Population Reports, P20-540, U.S.
Census Bureau, Washington DC.
Course Requirements
Two Exams
Research Paper
Passage Assignments
Attendance and Participation
60% (30% each)
20%
10%
10%
Two Exams: Each exam will consist of two parts --- an in-class short answer exam and a
take home essay. The in-class portion of the exam will cover key aspects of assigned
readings and class discussions. Questions will concern issues of employed
methodologies, central arguments being made the scholars, key findings, strengths and
weaknesses of each monograph, and how each monograph advances our understanding of
race/ethnicity.
The take-home component of the exam will ask you to critically examine aspects of the
covered readings. A question of interest will be distributed, and the essay will have a 6
page requirement. You have 72 hours to complete the take home essay. Computer
explosions are not considered my problem.
Each essay exam paper must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font
with 1 inch margins. Each paper must be 6 pages. Please note that you must abide by this
page limitation. It will force you to synthesize your reflections and be succinct in your
writing.
Late papers will **NOT** be accepted. The essay exam is due at 2pm at the
beginning of class on the date of the class period listed on your syllabus.
Do NOT push me on this.
Research Paper: To cultivate your knowledge of sociological research and to allow you
to pursue research in a specific area of interest, each student will be writing a short
research paper. The research paper has a page requirement of 6-7 pages and must
incorporate 7 traditional academic sources (a combination of journals and academic
monographs). Your research paper must include a thesis, and it will be graded on
organization, inclusion of academic texts and grammar.
A series of assignments have been created to facilitate your success – including a draft
which will be graded. Please see the syllabus for specific due dates. In addition, a grading
matrix of the research paper has been developed and attached to this syllabus. This will
give you a very clear idea of how your research paper will be evaluated.
Passage Journal: In order to get the most out of the reading list for this course and to
make the best use of our classroom discussion time, you will periodically be asked to
write a Passage reflection. You will record important selections from the readings and
explore those selections in writing. These journal assignments will assist you in your
essay exams by forcing you to analyze and grapple with the sociological texts.
Attached to the syllabus are instructions for these specific Passage assignments. When a
Passage assignment is due, as noted on your syllabus, please bring the printed out
Passage to class. It will be collected in class on the due date.
***No late Passage entries will be accepted***
At times, you may also be asked to reflect on a specific question and bring it to the next
class. These spontaneous assignments are not listed on the syllabus but are still
requirements for this class.
Attendance and Participation: Attendance is expected. Excessive absence (more than
three absences) will significantly lower your grade. Participation is a significant
component of this course and will benefit your understanding of the material.
Calculating Grades
The final grades will be computed as follows:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
94-100
90-93
87-89
84-86
80-83
77-79
74-76
70-73
60-69
59 and below
A very kind tip: if you are having trouble in this course, please come see me sooner rather
than later. Sooner: there is a chance we can work together to make things better. Later:
there is an excellent chance that you will be stuck with a lower grade than you would
like.
Please do **NOT** ask me to give you a higher grade than you earned because you are
on academic probation or you need it to maintain a scholarship or you have any other
special circumstance. Please do **NOT** ask for a B because you need to get into
business school. I do not give grades; rather, you earn the grade you receive.
Please note that I am happy to meet with you to discuss the best ways to write your
papers and tackle lab assignments. However, coming to see me and working on an
assignment does not guarantee you an A or even a B. It may be that the assistance I
provide ensured that you earned a C and therefore saved you from getting a D.
One last note on grades: ‘C’ is “Average.” A grade of a ‘C’ indicates that a student has
completed the assignment in an ordinary manner. In all likelihood, the assignment
probably does not meet all requirements but is not so deficient as to warrant a ‘D’ which
is, of course, below average. In contrast, a ‘B’ signifies that the assignment being graded
was merely sufficient in its completion. All requirements were fulfilled. (Yes, even
though “all requirements were fulfilled,” this does not automatically lead to an A). A
grade of an ‘A’ on any assignment means that the student went beyond the
requirements to present an interesting sociological insight, or a high level of synthesis of
course material, which reflects sophisticated analysis.
Academic Integrity
From Bucknell’s policy on academic responsibility --- “Bucknell students are responsible
to the academic community for the preparation and presentation of work representing
their own individual efforts. Acceptance of this responsibility is essential to the
educational process and must be considered as an expression of mutual trust, the
foundation upon which creative scholarship rests. Students are directed to use great care
when preparing all written work and to acknowledge fully the source of all ideas and
language other than their own.”
Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, academic misconduct, or misuse of computing facilities
will not be tolerated. All incidents of which will be reported to the appropriate Associate
Dean to be vigorously pursued in accordance with Bucknell’s Academic Responsibility
policy.
Please review the new Bucknell web resources on Academic Responsibility at
http://www.bucknell.edu/AcademicResponsibility/
Let me be clear.
If I find that you have downloaded any part of your research paper, you will fail the
course. It is an insult to me, to Bucknell, and to whoever is paying for your college
education that you would attempt to simply coast by in college.
Let me be even clearer --- even ‘acknowledging’ where a source comes from, and
then continuing to plagiarize the content will guarantee you a failing grade. If you
are unclear on what constitutes plagiarism, I encourage you to go to the Writing
Center or come see me. We are all happy to help you. However, I will fail any
student who is found plagiarizing in my class. Tears and excuses after the fact will
not save you.
Miscellaneous Stuff
I have done my best to take religious observances into account in the planning of this
course. I may, however, have missed something. If so, please let me know two weeks in
advance so we can make alternative arrangements if necessary.
Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and whatever else you have that beeps/rings/sings
before you come to class.
Talking about race is difficult. Race/ethnicity is a topic that often brings about much
debate. Certain issues may spark strong feelings and disagreements. It is important that
we each maintain respect for opinions other than our own. I ask you to honor the
following guidelines during our discussions:
1) Demonstrate your respect for another by honoring the contributions each student
makes
2) I ask that students refrain from using “zaps,” overt or covert put-downs
3) Please avoid linking personal experiences to a generalizing stereotype (either
negative or positive) concerning any group of people
Along that vein, I will never penalize a student for having different opinions than my
own. However, I will penalize a student for not approaching situations sociologically and,
instead, relying on simplistic examples or illustrations. We will all work together over the
semester to approach race/ethnicity from a sociological perspective.
Please Respect My Need to Research
I love students, especially when they stop by to chat. Please do so, no appointment is
necessary. In fact, I highly encourage you to stop by in the next month to better
introduce yourself. As the semester progresses, come by to discuss any questions,
comments or ideas you have about sociology, a specific assignment or grading concerns.
Also, feel free to stop by to discuss the latest college football game or pop culture
occurrence. In all seriousness, please take advantage of office hours, email, etc.
However………. I ask that you respect a no-drop by on Thursdays. Professors are
expected to maintain an active research agenda in addition to teaching brilliant
undergraduates at Bucknell. Thursdays are the days that I devote to exploring emerging
Mexican immigrant communities in Pennsylvania, the indigenous migrant flows between
the Yucatan and San Francisco and the incorporation of Hispanic subgroups into the
health care system of United States. I am therefore not available on Thursdays throughout
the entire semester.
PASSAGE ASSIGNMENTS
In order to get the most out of the reading list for this course and to make the best use of
our classroom discussion time, you will be asked record Passage Assignments. This
assignment calls for you to occasionally record important reading selections and explore
those selections in your own writing. (Much thanks to the Writing Center of Bucknell
University for this assignment).
In addition to fostering a habit of close and active reading that will sharpen your thinking
and inform our classroom discussions, your passage entries will grow into a useful
catalogue of citations and ideas that will serve as foundational material for your Essay
Exams.
When you are assigned a “Passage” Journal entry, please follow the subsequent
instructions:
1. As you make your way through the assigned reading, pay attention to the places
in the reading that grab your attention. You may want to highlight these passages,
or make a note of the page # and article.
2. Choose a quote or passage from the reading that feels like is it the most important
or compelling. “Most important” or “compelling” can mean any number of things
here: you may consider your selection to be the crux of the article or segment of
reading. You may have questions about the passage. You may feel resistant to
certain ideas, or take issue with a statement or an assumption in the reading. Do
not hesitate to choose a passage that gives you trouble – sometimes the richest
learning comes form exploring that which is uncomfortable or troublesome to us.
You should have 1 typed single spaced page of reflection.
3. Copy the passage into your notebook. City the author and page number. Beneath
the transcribed passage, describe your response to the passage, and explain why
you selected it in relation to the rest of the book. You may also want to relate your
selection to class discussion or previous readings. You may also want to articulate
any questions or confusion that the reading.
4. BRING YOUR PASSAGE TO CLASS. It will be collected.
5. We may use Passage entries in the following ways:
a. One person will be chosen to direct the rest of the class to her/his selected
passage and then will read her/his Passage journal entry. Class discussion
will follow.
b. Students may be paired or grouped to discuss their Passage entries.
c. People may volunteer to share their Passage entries.
RESEARCH TOPICS
Each student is required to write a 6-7 page research paper. The topic of your research
paper MUST come from the list below. Only two students are allowed to write on each
topic. You must email me your top three research topics by Wednesday, August 30th. I
will abide by a first come, first serve policy. Once the research topics are dived-up,
you are required to write your paper on the topic you receive.
Each research paper must incorporate 7 academic sources, and 3 of those sources must
be articles from the attached list of sociology journals. This will force each student to
become familiar with the leading journals in the discipline of sociology. What is meant
exactly by academic sources? It means peer-reviewed journals and mainly books
published by academic and reputable presses. If you have any questions about your
sources, please feel free to contact me or the professionals at ISR and the Writing Center.
Before you choose a topic, I highly encourage you to do some preliminary research –
quickly scan the databases and see what information is available. This is an easy way for
you to match your interests with what scholars are discussing in the current literature.
Research Topics
1. Explore the reasons for the educational disparities between non-Hispanic
whites and blacks in the United States
2. Explore the emergence of Mexican immigrants in non-traditional receiving
areas.
3. Explore academic achievement among Asian populations within the United
States
4. Explore the epidemiological paradox of Hispanic populations within the
United States
5. Explore the participation of Hispanics in the U.S. political system
6. Explore the impact, influence and role of rap music in cultivating an urban
black identity and possible how rap is being adopted by non-black groups.
7. Discuss the emergence and role of lowriders among Chicanos in Los Angeles
8. Discuss the pros, cons and impact of ESL programs in America’s schools
9. Discuss machismo and marianismo in Hispanic culture
10. Explore the role of religion in African American or Hispanic families and
communities.
11. Explore the discrimination in health care of African Americans in the United
States and how the context of racism has shaped African Americans’ attitudes
towards receiving medical care (for a great place to start, explore the
Tuskegee syphilis study)
12. Explore the impact of immigration on infant mortality and health outcomes
13. Explore the internment of Japanese American populations in the history of the
United States
14. Explore the processes of the ‘whitening’ of the Irish and Italian populations
within the United States
15. Explore the role of remittances and hometown associations in transnational
Mexican communities
16. Explore the exclusion of Asian populations from historical U.S. immigration
flows yet the role they played in building a young America
17. Explore the history and continual impact of ‘red-lining’ in regards to housing,
suburbanization and the role of government in growing the wealth of nonHispanic whites in the United States
18. Explore the history and impact of the Harlem Renaissance
19. Explore the flows of Cuban migrants into the United States and their impact
on the social, economic, political and cultural life of Miami Florida
20. Explore issues of identity among “mixed-race/ethnic” persons in the United
States
Grading Rubric Used for Research Paper
Category
Introducing the idea:
The topic is introduced, a
thesis is clearly evident and
groundwork is laid as to the
direction of the paper.
Body: The research paper
goes from general ideas to
specific conclusions within
each paragraph. Transitions
tie sections together, as well
as adjacent paragraphs. Each
paragraph clearly ties back
to the thesis
Coverage of Content:
Points
10 points
20 points
30 points
The appropriate content in
consideration is covered in
depth without being
redundant. Sources are cited
when specific statements are
made.
Organization and
Clarity of Writing:
20 points
The research paper must
have a clear introduction
with a thesis, main body
with major points, and a
conclusion
Writing is crisp, clear, and
succinct. The writer
incorporates the active voice
when appropriate. The use
of pronouns, modifiers,
parallel construction, and
non-sexist language are
appropriate.
Conclusion:
10 points
summarizes key points,
connects to introduction
Citations/References:
All needed citations were
included in the report.
References matched the
citations, and all were
encoded in ASA format.
General Comments:
10 points
Excellent (9-10)
Good (5-8)
Fair (1-4)
DATE
TOPICS and READING
DUE
Wednesday, August 23
Introduction to the Course
Sociology of Race/Ethnicity
Friday, August 25
Social Construction of Race
Video: The Power of Illusion
PASSAGE and
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
DUE
RESEARCH PAPER and
EXAM SCHEDULE
How does this video drive how the idea that
race is a social construction?
Monday, August 28
Social Construction of Race, continued
What ways did we see in the video of
SCIENCE perpetuating the racist tendencies
of the day?
Does Race matter if it is not a biological
concept? Defend your answer.
Wednesday, August 30
Immigration to the United States
Non-Hispanic Whites in the US
Friday, September 1
White Privilege: Unpacking the
Invisible Knapsack
From ‘Middle Class’ to ‘Trailer
Trash’….
1
Is immigrating to the United States any
different now than it was a hundred years
ago? How?
Should scholars make policy
recommendations concerning immigration?
Critically reflect1 on White Privilege and
Male Privilege. Why or why not do you buy
McIntosh’s argument --- that there exists
unearned race advantage and conferred
dominance for Whites?
Research Paper Topic Choice Due
Submit your top 3 topics to me by email
First come, First Serve
By ‘critical’, I do not mean negative --- I mean analytical. By thoughtful, I mean scholarly. I do not want a descriptive report on the subject matter of this reflexive piece.
Discuss Waters methodology.
Monday, September 4
Ethnic Options
Chapters 1-2
What is Waters’ Central Argument?
Compare Assimilationist, Pluralist and New
Ethnicity theoretical perspectives
Wednesday, September 6
Ethnic Options
Chapters 3-5
Passage Reflection Due
Please reference how to do a passage
assignment, which is attached to this
syllabus
Does Waters make a strong argument
concerning why ethnicity is a personal
choice?
Friday, September 8
Ethnic Options
Chapters 6-7
What are Waters views on the importance of
ethnicity?
How does Waters argue that being a white
ethnic is different from being a minority
ethnic?
Monday, September 11
Honky
Passage Reflection Due
How does Honky gather its ‘data’ differently
than Ethnic Options?
Wednesday, September 13
Honky
What are the most significant insights that
Honky offers?
In what ways is Conley's firsthand
Research Paper Topics Confirmed
experience more valuable than scientific
data?
What are the pros and cons of this type of
‘data collection’?
Friday, September 15
Honky
Video: Spellbound
What experiences make Conley aware of his
privileged status as a white person? What
effect do these revelations have on him?
Monday, September 18
Honky
Video: Spellbound
Would Conley’s experiences have been
different if he were Hispanic or Asian?
How?
African Americans in the United
States
Wednesday, September 20
The Black Population in the United
States Current Population Report
Friday, September 22
Code of the Streets
Introduction, Chapters 1-2
What is meant by ‘The Code the Streets’?
Monday, September 25
Code of the Streets
Chapters 3-5
Passage Reflection Due
Wednesday, September 27
Code of the Streets
Chapters 6-7 & Conclusions
What is the relationship between police
protection and ‘The Code’?
Friday, September 29
Code of the Streets
How is ‘The Code of the Streets’ the result
Research Paper sources Due
Chapter 6-7 & Conclusions
Wrap-Up
NPR Radio Piece on Alex
Monday, October 2
Wednesday, October 4
of the larger economic structure?
Type out academic sources
4 academic journals and 3 books
All That We Can Be
Forward, Preface, Chapters 1-3
All That We Can Be
Chapters 4-7
Friday, October 6
IN CLASS EXAM #1
Monday, October 9
Black Identities
Chapter 1-2
How does growing up in a society where
blacks are the majority affect West Indians?
Does this really matter?
Wednesday, October 11
Black Identities
Chapter 3-4
Passage Reflection Due
Friday, October 13
Black Identities
Chapters 3-4
Video: Lost Boys of Sudaan
Monday, October 16
***No CLASS FALL BREAK****
Wednesday, October 18
Black Identities
Chapters 5--7
Explore the relationship depicted by Waters
between native-born blacks and black
immigrants.
How does Waters explore the facilitation of
black immigrants and the obstruction of
black American hiring in the postindustrial
service economy? Please list three different
ESSAY EXAM #1 DUE
arenas and discuss. Do you buy these
arguments?
Friday, October 20
Black Identities
Chapters 8-9
Link Black Identities to Ethnic Options.
How do West Indians exercise their ability to
project a particular ethnicity? Are they
successful?
Hispanics in the United States
Monday, October 23
Wednesday, October 25
Friday, October 27
The Hispanic Population in the
United States Current Population
Reports
Articles on Hispanics -- TBA
Article transnationalism -- TBA
Video: La Seccion Sexta
Asian Americans
Monday, October 30
Wednesday, November 1
The Asian and Pacific Islander
Population in the United States:
Current Population Reports
The Spirit Catches You
Preface, Chapters 1-5
How does the long history of the Hmong
contribute to our understanding of their
assimilation into US society?
Discuss the cultural differences in medicine
between Hmong and Americans
Friday, November 3
RESEARCH DAY
Monday, November 6
Wednesday, November 8
The Spirit Catches You
Chapters 6-10
The Spirit Catches You
Chapters
11-15
Friday, November 10
The Spirit Catches You
Chapters 16-19
Monday, November 13
The Spirit Catches You
Wrap Up
Passage Reflection Due
Please bring one discussion question to class
RESEARCH PAPER DRAFT DUE
Video: Crash
Wednesday, November 15
Friday, November 17
Video: Crash
What is the main concern of Telles in his
research?
Monday, November 20
Race in Another America
Chapters 1-3
What methods are employed?
Discuss whitening and racial democracy.
Wednesday, November 22
Friday, November 24
***NO CLASS THANKSGIVING***
***NO CLASS THANKSGIVING***
Monday November 27
Race in Another America
Chapters 4-6
Wednesday, November 29
Race in Another America
7-10
Friday, December 1
Monday, December 4
TBA
Passage Reflection Due
IN CLASS EXAM #1
Class Overview, Discussion and WrapUp
ESSAY EXAM #2 DUE
RESEARCH PAPER DUE