Soc 220

Sociology/Asian American Studies 220: Ethnic Movements in the US

This course uses a social movements and group conflict approach to explore the experiences and politics of African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino (especially Mexican American), and Asian American people in the US.  This course provides overviews of the the history of the formation of the United States as a racial state and discussions of controversial issues in race relations in the US. Your papers and oral reports involve analysis of controversial issues.This is a writing intensive course which meets the communications-b requirement as well as the ethnic studies requirement. The discussion sections are integral to the course.

Course assignments and lecture notes are delivered through the Canvas learn@UW system.

History, despite its wrenching pain
Cannot be unlived, but if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Maya Angelou. 1992. From On the Pulse of Morning

ABOUT GETTING INTO THIS CLASS

This is a high-demand course and many people are trying to get into it. No one is being admitted except through the normal online enrollment. If you want to get into the class, sign up for the section you want on the electronic wait list through your student center. People on the wait list will have priority over people who try to add the class when classes begin. To confirm your place on the wait list you will need to ATTEND THE FIRST LECTURE CLASS. We will have students fill out information sheets and select people based on their need for the course and ability to contribute to the diversity of class discussions.


 TO ESL STUDENTS

International students are welcome in this class, as you contribute to the diversity of class discussions. However, we have consulted extensively with English as a Second Language faculty, who advise us that this is NOT a good course for international students with weak skills in reading and writing in English. You may be tempted to take it because it meets both the e and com-b requirements, but the ESL faculty recommend that you meet the two requirements in separate courses. The class requires that you attend lectures, read two books, watch many hours of videos,  plus do extensive library research. Because it is a com-b course, you must be graded on your writing by the same standards as native speakers of English. The papers involve analysis of issues in US politics, which are harder for an international student to understand. If you do not easily read and write in English, you should expect that you will need to spend a great deal of extra time on this class or that you will receive a lower grade than you might otherwise hope for. Please ask ESL faculty for advice if you are unsure about how to evaluate your English skills.

 

Sample Class Materials:

Links:

Quotations:

History, despite its wrenching pain
Cannot be unlived, but if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Maya Angelou. 1992. From On the Pulse of Morning