US Minorities I

The US Minorities I (semester) course is intended to give students a panoramic overview of the contemporary successes and challenges surrounding minority group relations in the United States. Students will be guided by the historical paths that have contributed to and in some measure, shaped the current conditions of minorities in the United States. The course is grounded in a historical, theoretical, demographic, and ultimately sociological examination of race, ethnicity, and other divisions in the United States and how minority groups work to overcome the challenges they face to find their place in society. Attention is also given to the contributions of minority groups to the growth and development of the United States, and, as appropriate, the study of the push and pull factors that brought individuals to the United States. The foundation for the course is laid by examining the founding documents of the United States, definitions of and theoretical approaches to race, ethnicity, and other classifications as well as the students exploring their identity.