EC/PO 326 The Economics and Politics of Racial Inequality, Spring 2002, page 1

Departments of Economics and of Political Science, Boston University

The Economics and Politics of Racial Inequality
EC/PO 326 Spring 2002

Course Syllabus

ProfessorSecretaryTeaching Assistant

Glenn C. LouryElizabeth ButlerTolga Yuret ()
704 Comm Ave, 5th fl.704 Comm Ave, 5th fl.704 Comm Ave, 5th fl. 353-5835

Off. Hrs: M/W 10-12353-5673/ff. Hrs: Tu/Th 11-12:30

Course Meets Tu/Th 9:30-11am, SCI Rm. 115

URL for Course Web Page:

  1. Description: The course examines racial inequality in the United States, focusing on economic, political and social aspects. Issues discussed include urban poverty, discrimination in the criminal justice system, affirmative action, and multiculturalism. Questions about racial identity and racial loyalty, cultural relativism, and “political correctness” are also explored. The focus is on “race,” not “minority status;” black/white relations in the US context are the principle concern. Classes will consist of lectures by the professor, followed by questions and discussion from students.
  2. Grading and Requirements: There is a large amount of reading in this course. Both reading and lectures are an integral part of this class. Neither can substitute for the other. It is imperative that students keep up with assignments and attend class regularly. Anyone who cannot commit to doing the readings in a timely fashion and coming to the class meetings should not take this course. To insure compliance with these requirements, performance in the course will be evaluated as follows:

(1)One-third of the grade will derive from a student’s average performance on a series of six to eight unannounced “pop quizzes.” Quizzes may occur on any class meeting day, at any time during class. No make-up quizzes will be given and no excuses for absence will be accepted, butthe lowest two quiz grades will be dropped before computing a student’s average.

(2)One-third of the grade will derive from an hourly exam to be given on February 28th (just before Spring Break.) The remaining third of the grade will be based on an hourly exam to be given on April 30th (the last day of class.) These will be “essay question/short answer” exams. No make-up exams will be given. (Please note: Absence from an exam will be excused only at the request of the CAS Dean’s Office. A student must take his/her case to the Dean. I will not discuss such matters with students. Also, any requests for a re-evaluation of quiz or exam grades must be submitted to me in writing with relevant documentation. I will respond to such requests in kind. Please do NOT come to my office hours to request quiz or exam grade changes.)

(3)The CAS Academic Conduct Code can be picked up in room CAS B3. Academic misconduct involves not only cheating on tests, but more subtle acts as well. All work handed in for credit must be your own. Quotes or paraphrase from other sources must cite the reference and page number. Consultations with classmates should be limited to general discussions. I will report cases of suspected academic misconduct to the Dean's Office. Confirmed cases of misconduct will result in a failing grade on the exam or assignment.

C.Books: Books listed below are available at the BU bookstore, and on reserve in the library:

  1. Thomas Sugrue, The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit (Princeton: 1996)
  2. Glenn C. Loury, The Anatomy of Racial Inequality (Harvard: 2002)
  3. Neil J. Smelser, William Julius Wilson and Faith Mitchell, Eds: America Becoming: Racial Trends and Their Consequences (Vols. I and II) (National Academy Press 2001)
  4. Charles Taylor & Amy Gutman, Multiculturalism (Princeton: 1994)
  5. John Skrentny, The Ironies of Affirmative Action (Univ. Chicago: 1996)
  6. William Bowen & Derek Bok, The Shape of the River: Race in College and University Admissions (Princeton: 1998)
  7. Elijah Anderson, Code of the Streets: Decency, Violence and the Moral Life of Inner Cities (W.W. Norton: 1999)
  1. A Topical Outline of the Course:
  1. What’s It All About? Introduction and Overview [1 class]
  2. Can We Talk? Political Correctness and the Discourse on Race [1 class]
  3. An Historical Case Study: Post-WWII Detroit [3 classes]
  4. Racial Inequality in the U.S.: Theory and Evidence
  1. Some Basic Facts [1 class]
  2. A Theory of Racial Stereotypes [1 class]
  3. Racial Attitudes [1 class]
  4. A Theory of Racial Stigma [1 class]
  1. Race, Culture and Identity
  1. The Ethics of Racial Identification [1 class]
  2. Liberalism and the Politics of Recognition [2 classes]

[First Hourly Exam and Spring Break]

  1. The Urban Context
  1. American Apartheid: The Urban Geography of Race [1 class]
  2. Race in the Urban Labor Market [1 class]
  3. Urban Poverty and Welfare Reform [1 class]
  4. Street Codes: Youth Violence in the Inner City [2 classes]
  1. Crime and Punishment [3 classes]
  1. Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System [1 class]
  2. Race, Prisons and the War on Drugs [1 class]
  3. Crime and the “Black Community” [1 class]
  1. Racial Preferences
  1. The Historical Development of Affirmative Action [2 classes]
  2. Affirmative Action in College Admissions [2 classes]
  3. Racial Justice: Beyond the Affirmative Action Debate [2 classes]

[Second Hourly Exam and End of Term]

E.Detailed Reading Assignments

Readings marked (*) are on reserve in the library and available in a course pack at the BU Bookstore.

I. Introduction

Jan. 15(no reading)

II.Political Correctness

Jan. 17*Loury, One by One From the Inside Out, Chp. 8, pp. 145-182

III.Post-WWII Detroit

Jan. 22Sugrue, The Origins of the Urban Crisis, Part I, Introduction and Chps. 1-3

Jan. 24Sugrue, The Origins of the Urban Crisis, Part II, Chps. 4-6

Jan. 29Sugrue, The Origins of the Urban Crisis, Part III, Chps. 7-9 & Conclusion

IV.Racial Inequality: Evidence and Theory

Jan. 31Smelser, et al., America Becoming, Vol I, Chp. 2; Vol. II, Chps. 5, 6, &10

Feb. 5Loury, The Anatomy of Racial Inequality, Chps. 1 and 2

Feb. 7Smelser, et al., America Becoming, Vol I, Chp. 9

Feb. 12Loury, The Anatomy of Racial Inequality, Chp. 3

V.Race, Culture and Identity

Feb. 14Smelser, et al., America Becoming, Vol I, Chp. 8

*Loury, One by One, Prologue (pp. 1-12)

*Kennedy, “My Race Problem and Ours,” Atlantic Monthly, May 1997

Feb. 19No Class: Monday Schedule Today

Feb. 21 Taylor, Multiculturalism: The Politics of Recognition (pp. 25-73)

Feb. 26Habermas and Appiah, Multiculturalism: Part II (pp. l07-163)

Feb. 28First Hourly Exam

March 5&7Spring Break

VI.The Urban Context

Mar. 12Smelser, et al., America Becoming, Vol I. Chp. 13

Mar. 14*R. Waldinger, “The New Urban Reality” (Chp. 1 in Still the Promised City?)

Mar. 19*Loury, “Comment on Robert Solow’s Tanner Lecture”

*Loury, “The Return of the Undeserving Poor,” Atlantic Monthly, 2/01, pp.54-55

*Traub, James, “What No School Can Do,” New York Times Magazine, 1/16/00

Mar. 21Elijah Anderson, Code of the Streets, Chps. 1-3

Mar. 26Elijah Anderson, Code of the Streets, Chps. 4-6

VII.Crime and Punishment

Mar. 28Smelser, et al., America Becoming, Vol. II, Chps. 1, 2, & 3

Apr. 2*Michael Tonry, Malign Neglect, Chps. 1 & 3

Apr. 4*Tracey Meares, “Place and Crime.” Chicago-Kent Law Review, 73:2 (1998)

VIII.Racial Preferences

Apr. 9Skrentny, The Ironies of Affirmative Action (Chps. 1-3)

Apr. 11Skrentny, The Ironies of Affirmative Action (Chps. 4&8)

Apr. 16Bowen/Bok, The Shape of the River (Chps. 2,3,5)

Apr. 18Bowen/Bok, The Shape of the River (Chps. 9&10)

Apr. 23&25Loury, The Anatomy of Racial Inequality, Chps. 4&5

Apr. 30Second Hourly Exam