Race and the Modern World

Are you curious about how the idea of race began, or about how race intersects with other parts of our identities, such as religion, gender, class, and ethnicity?  Are you interested in studying the historical and modern impacts of race and its intersections? In this class, we will study sociological theories behind race before diving into how race is institutionally woven into our historical and modern societies.  We will explore access to housing and its implications on neighborhood development, decisions regarding the placement of freeways and transit systems, homelessness and the delivery of social services, access to health care and the efficacy of treatment, our school systems and the disproportionate impact of the school to prison pipeline, the labor market and job opportunities, and the inequities of the criminal justice system.  We will examine the direct implications of these topics for different groups of people in Minnesota and beyond, as well as current and historical movements that fight for equality and social justice. Students will leave this class prepared to make a positive difference in their own communities.