1
Professor Ron Aminzade
1031 Social Sciences; 624-9570;
OfficeHours: Thursday, 3:00-5:00 p.m. and by appointment
SOCIOLOGY OF ETHNIC AND RACIAL CONFLICT
SOCIOLOGY 4461 – FALL SEMESTER 2017
Tuesday, Thursday, 1:00-2:15 Blegan Hall 130
Course Overview: We will examine conceptual and theoretical approaches to the sociological study of ethnic and racial conflict around the globe, looking at ethnicity and race as distinctive but overlapping social constructions of collective identity that underpin patterns of social conflict and systems of power and privilege. We will also explore the difference between race and ethnicity, the various ways in which racial, ethnic, and national identitiesare constructed in different countries, individual versus group approaches to the study of prejudice and discrimination, and the racialization of ethnic and religious groups. In analyzing the sources of ethnic and racial conflicts in different nation-states, we will examine the role played by racism, ethnocentrism, and xenophobia, situating particular cases of conflict in North America, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia in the contexts of colonialism, slavery, globalization, democratization, nation-state formation, and transnational migration. Using a comparative and historical approach, we will also explore how different countries formulate immigration policies and address issues of immigrant incorporation, exclusion, and citizenship and the conditions under which conflicts turn violent, leading to ethnic cleansing and genocide. Finally, we will analyze different approaches to reducing ethnic and racial conflicts, including cosmopolitanism, federalism, and global governance.
Readings: The required readings are available in a course packet ofthirty (30) articles and book chapters, which can be purchasedat Paradigm Course Resources, 720 Washington Ave SE. Be sure tobringthe course packetwith you to class on Thursdaysince you will need to consult the required readingsforour discussions and in-classwriting activities.To receive a good grade for this course, you will need tocomplete all required readings before class on Thursday and be prepared to discuss the required readings. You may find some of the readings difficult, especially if you don’t have a background in social and political theory, but we will be discussing them in detail every Thursday, when you will have an opportunity to ask questions about the required readings.
Course Requirements: In addition to regular attendance and active participation in Thursday discussions, students are required to complete short in-class writing exercises, submit take-home 6 page mid-term and final essay exams, submit a one page research proposal with a bibliography, and write a 8-10 page, double spaced, research paper which they will present during the last week of class. (see pages 3-4)
Grades:
Attendance, Participation, and Class Presentation…………………….…….10%
Research Paper (due Nov. 30)...... 40%
Midterm Take Home Essay Exam (due Oct. 24)………….………………....25%
End of Semester Take Home Essay Exam (Dec. 12)…….……..……………25%
Research Proposal/Bibliography (due Oct. 3)…………………..…grade penalty for failure to submit assignment
Grading Policy: A portion of your grade is based on participation and attendance. The class participation grade will be calculated based on your attendance, involvement in class discussions and debates, completion of in-class writing assignments, and class presentation of your research paper. You are responsible for reading the required material before you come to class on Thursdayso that you can fully participate in activities, debates, and discussions. In order to receive a final grade of A or A-, you must satisfactorily complete all of the in-class writing exercises, be an active and engaged participant in class, and turn in your research proposal and bibliography on time. Although your two page (double-spaced) proposal plus a bibliography will not be graded, failure to complete this assignment will lower your grade on the research paper by 2/3 (e.g. a B will become a C+). If your final course grade is on the borderline (e.g. between a B+ and B), it will be determined by the quality of your participation. The 8-10 page (double-spaced) research paper will allow you to explore issues regarding ethnic and racial conflict in a country of your choice (see pages 3-4) The midterm and end of semester take-home essay exams require you to answer two questions in 3 type-written double-spaced pages, for a total of 6 pages each exam. If you do not show up at class and thus miss a writing assignment, you cannot make it up or turn it in late, unless you have a documented illness/family emergency that warrants an exception to this rule. Incompletes will be given only in rare circumstances and only if you can provide prior written documentation.Inconsistent attendance will negatively affect your overall grade.The mid-term and end of semester take-home essay exams will ask you to critically reflect on the course readings, lectures, films, handouts, and discussions and to use that material in making an argument. The mid-term exam will cover material from the first seven weeks of the course and the end of semester exam will focus on, but not be limited to, material from the subsequent seven weeks of the course. If you turn in anexam or your research paper late, you will be penalized by 1/3 grade per day late (e.g. an A paper will become an A- if it is one day late, a B+ if it is two days late, and a B if it is three days late). If you need to turn in an assignment late, deliver it to 909 Social Sciences and ask thestaff to put it in Professor Aminzade’s mailbox. Do not send it via e-mail or slip it under the office door. Examsand papers not turned in during class on the relevant due date will be considered late and will be penalized. Please come see me during office hours if you are unclear about anything.
Technology: Unless you have documented special needs that require the use of a computer in the classroom, I do not allow computer usage during class time, other than my own. I realize that many students like to take notes on their laptops, but the availability of chat functions, e-mail, and the web have compromised this possibility. All electronic products with a screen of any size, including cell phones, PDAs, and any other hand held device, should be turned off during class at all times. If there is an emergency and you need to use your phone, please leave the room rather than disrupt our class.
Disabilities: It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis,reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or meet course requirements. If you have a disability or condition that compromises your ability to complete the requirements of the course, you should inform me as soon as possible of your needs and I will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate you. Any student needing to arrange accommodations for a documented disability should also contact the U. of M. Disability Services at 612-626-1333.
Student Writing Support: Since the ability to clearly express your thoughts in writing is a key skill that you need to continue to develop, poor writing will negatively affect your grade. Student Writing Support provides free writing instruction for all University of Minnesota students. In face-to-face and online collaborative consultations, SWS helps students develop productive writing habits. Some consultants at the writing lab specialize in working with non-native speakers while others have experience concerning writing in specific disciplines, such as Sociology. The SWS main location is 15 Nicolson Hall, 215 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN55455. e-mail: ; appointments: 612-625-1893; information: 612-626-7579. Check out excellent SWS web-based quick help resources on topics such as avoiding plagiarism, documenting sources, grammar and punctuation, and completing a writing project at:
Academic Dishonesty: The University defines academic dishonesty as “plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission.” It is important that you understand what plagiarism means as well as what activities constitute academic dishonesty. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them in class or during my office hours. Please be sure to talk to me if you are not clear about this issue. See the College of Liberal Arts policies attached at the end of this syllabus for more information. For this course, a student engaged in scholastic dishonesty will be assigned a penalty up to an F grade for the course and the incident will be formally reported to the U. of M. Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.
Ground Rules: The most important rule is that we all engage in respectful and considerate debate and discussion. The topic of racial and ethnic conflict is likely to generate a wide range of opinions and considerable emotion, which may be rooted in your personal, perhaps painful, experiences. I strive to create an inclusive classroom environment that will stimulate you to think for yourself, marshal empirical evidence to support your opinions, and raise critical questions. If you engage in behavior that offends and insults your peers or disrupts the learning process, I will ask to speak with you after class. Abusive language will not be tolerated. We are all responsible for keeping discrimination, harassment, and intimidation out of the classroom.
COUNTRY CASE STUDY RESEARCH PAPER Due in class on November 30th (8-10 pages plus bibliography)
This paper is designed to give you an opportunity to explore in greater depth some of the topics and issues covered in the course by focusing on racial and ethnic conflict in a particular country. Select one of the nation-states listed below and then, based on your reading of the required course materials and of the sources listed on your bibliography, answer the questions below. If you choose to select a nation-state not listed here, then you need to have it approved by the instructor at the beginning of the semester, prior to beginning your research. The two page double-spaced proposal (due on October 3rd) should briefly identify the major racial and ethnic groups in this country, the conflicts that you plan to research, and their connection to the larger-scale processes (e.g. slavery, colonialism, capitalist development, nation-building, state formation) that we will be discussing in class. Your final 8-10 page paper should situate the country you choose in the context of the relevant issues addressed in course readings and lectures and connect your analysis to current debates among social scientists doing research on ethnic and racial conflict. The proposal must be accompanied by a bibliography of 5-6 scholarly books or articles that document the past and contemporary racial and ethnic conflicts in this country. Plus feel free to ask me for suggested readings for your bibliography.
Select one of the following nation-states: Mexico, Canada, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cuba, Ecuador, Argentina, Peru; Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leon, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Finland, Serbia, Romania,Ukraine, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Japan,
Questions: 1) What are the major ethnic and racial groups in this country and how are their identities self-defined and defined by others? 2) What is the history of conflict and cooperationamong these groups?; 3) How have nation-building, state formation, colonialism, slavery, democratization, and capitalist development shaped this history?; 4) What is the history of exclusion and incorporation of these groups and what do immigration and refugee policies suggest about racism and xenophobia?; 5) Have conflicts among racial and ethnic groups turned violent and, if so, why? If not, why?
COURSE CALENDAR AND REQUIRED READINGS
Part I: Ethnicity, Race, and Nation (Weeks 1-4)
September 5 Introductions, Course Overview and Objectives
Handouts #1, #2: Getting to Know You; Student Survey
September 7 Lecture #1: Key Concepts in the Study of Conflict: Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality
YouTubeVideos: Jennifer Lee and Dalton Conley Discuss the Difference between Race and Ethnicity” (3m31s); Eliana Pipes- “Race, Ethnicity, Nationality, andJellybeans” (2m53s)
Required Readings:
Stephen Cornell/Douglas Hartmann. 2007.“Mapping the Terrain: Definitions.” Ethnicity and Race. Second Edition, pp. 15-40.
Amin Maalouf. 2000. “My Identity, My Allegiances.” In the Name of Identity. N.Y.: Penguin Books, pp. 9-29.
September 12 Lecture #2: Social Constructions of Collective Identities: Ethnicity, Race, and Nationality
YouTube Video: Sensei Aishitemasu, “PSA: Race, Nationality, and Ethnicity are Not Interchangeable” (8m05s)
Handout #3: Ethnic and Racial Identities and Labels; Handout #4: Group Discussion and Debate Guidelines
September 14 Debate #1: Fluid and Multiple Constructed Identities: “Mixed Race Individuals Like Tiger Woods Should Be Encouraged to Embrace Their Multi-RacialIdentity Rather than Identify with One Racial Group.”
Required Readings:
David A. Hollinger. 2004. “Identity in the United States.” In Nadia Tazi, ed. Keywords:Identity. N.Y.: Other Press, pp. 27-45.
Marvin Harris. “The Brazilian Pattern.” Patterns of Race in the Americas. N.Y.: WW Northrup & Co., pp. 54-64.
John Stone & Polly Rizova. 2014. “In Other Contexts: China & Brazil.” Racial Conflict in Global Society. Cambridge, U.K.: Polity Press, pp. 45-57.
September 19 Lecture #3: Nationalisms in a World System of Nation-States
YouTube Video: Mahmood Mamdani, “The African Wars from Within.” (8m30s)
September 21 Discussion: Ethnic and Racial Conflict around the Globe
Required Readings:
Barbara Harff & Ted Robert Gurr. 2004. “Ethnopolitical Conflict and the Changing World Order.” 2004. In Ethnic Conflict in World Politics. 2nd Edition. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, pp. 1-17.
Vincent Parrillo. 2005. “Dominant-Minority Relations.” In Understanding Race & Ethnic Relations. 2nd Edition. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc., pp. 112-131.
September 26 Lecture #4: Nationalism, National Identities, and Nation-States
Handout #5: Learning Exercise: National Identity as Lived Experience
September 28 Debate #2: Nationalism, Patriotism, & Ethnic Conflict: “Nation-States are Not the Best Way to Organize Political Communities of Belonging around the Globe.”
Required Readings:
Jyoti Puri. 2004. “Parades, Flags, and National Pride.” Encountering Nationalism. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, pp. 1-15.
Fang Lizhi. 1993. “Patriotism and Global Citizenship.” In Jeremy Brecher, John Brown Childs, and Jill Cutler, eds., Global Visions: Beyond the New World Order. Boston: South End Press, pp. 279-282.
Elise Boulding. 1993. “Ethnicity and New Constitutive Orders” In Jeremy Brecher, John Brown Childs, & Jill Cutler, eds., Global Visions: Beyond the NewWorld Order. Boston: South End Press, pp. 213-231.
Part II: Racism, White Privilege, and the Racialization of Ethnic & Religious Groups (Weeks 5-7)
October 3 Lecture # 5: What is Racism?
YouTube Video: Kat Blaque, “Racism Vs Prejudice” (8m16s)
Research Proposals and Bibliography Due Today
October 5 Discussion: Individual and Group Approaches to the Study of Prejudice and Discrimination
Required Readings:
Herbert Blumer. 1958. “Race Prejudice as a Sense of Group Position.” The Pacific Sociological Review1, #1: 3-7.
James M. Thomas. 2014. “Medicalizing Racism.” Contexts 13, #4: 24-29.
Ashley (“Woody”) Doane. 2006. “What is Racism? Racial Discourse and Racial Politics.” Critical Sociology 32, #2-3: 255-274.
October 10 Lecture #6: Laissez-Faire Racism, a Tripartite Racial System, and Perspectives on Racial Justice
YouTube Video: Tim Wise,“Colorblind Denial and White Privilege” (12m51s)
October 12 Discussion: Racism, White Privilege, and Color-Blind Racism
RequiredReadings:
George M. Fredrickson. 2001. “Race and Racism in Historical Perspective: Comparing the United States, South Africa, and Brazil.” In Charles Hamilton et al, eds. Beyond Racism: Race and Inequality in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States. Boulder, CO: Lynne Reinner Publishers, pp. 1-26.
Amy E. Ansell. 2006. “Casting a Blind Eye: The Ironic Consequences of Color-Blindness in South Africa and the United States.” Critical Sociology 32, 2-3: 333-356.
October 17 Lecture #7: The Racialization of Jews in Germany and Tutsis in Rwanda
YouVideo: Dr. Carolos Hoyt, “The Racialization Process” (2m9s) and “The History of Race & Racialization” (3m13s)
October 19: Discussion: The Racialization of Ethnic and Religious Groups
Mid-Semester Course Evaluation
Required Readings:
Saher Selod and David G. Embrick. 2013. “Racialization and Muslims: Situating the Muslim Experience in Race Scholarship.” Sociology Compass 7/8: 644-655.
Murat Ergin. 2014. “The Racialization of Kurdish Identity in Turkey.” Ethnic and Racial Studies 37, #1: 322-341.
Part III: Immigration and Globalization: Incorporation, Exclusion, and Conflict (Weeks 8-10)
October 24 Lecture #8: Diversity, Multiculturalism, and Citizenship
Handout #6: Minority Rights in a Culturally Diverse Society: Case Studies
Mid-Semester Exam Due in class
October 26Debate #3: Immigrant Incorporation &Global Citizenship: “Immigrants Should Be Expected to Assimilate into the Dominant National CultureIn Order to Promote National Unity and Reduce Cultural Conflicts.”
Required Readings:
David Miller. 2016. “Integrating Immigrants.” Strangers in Our Midst: The Political Philosophy of Immigration. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 130- 150
Katrina Rebecca Bloch. 2014. “`Anyone Can Be Illegal’: Color-Blind Ideology and Maintaining Latino/Citizen Borders.” Critical Sociology 40, #1: 47-65.
October 31Lecture #9: Immigration and Refugee Policies in Comparative/Historical Perspective
Youtube Video: Unboring Learning, “Nationality and Citizenship.” (7m19s)
Handout #7: Minority Rights in a Culturally Diverse Society: Case Studies
November 2 Discussion: Racism and Immigration
Required Readings:
David Scott FitzGerald & David Cook-Martin. 2014. “Conclusion.” Culling the Masses: The Democratic Origins of Racist Immigration Policy in the Americas. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 333-348.
Richard Alba & Nancy Foner. 2015. “The Problems and Paradoxes of Race.” Strangers No More: Immigration and the Challenges of Integration in North America and Western Europe. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, pp. 98-117.
November 7 Nationalism, Xenophobia, and Cosmopolitanism
Video: “Real Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Villifies a People.” U of MN Kanopy Streaming, kanopystreaming-com.ezp1.lib.umn.edu/video/ (50m08s)