PS 525S:
Race and American Politics
(Graduate Seminar) 

Course Description 

 The definitions, meanings, and consequences of race and ethnicity have been, and continue to be, shaped by U.S. political and legal institutions. Hence, politics and race in the United States have been inextricably intertwined. This course focuses on the continued salience of race in American politics. We will examine the historical context in which the concept of race and race relations developed, and we address the current context in which racial dynamics are played out.  

The racial paradigm in the United States has expanded beyond black and white, and research on the  politics of Latinos, American Indians, and Asian Americans has grown significantly over the past two decades, yet the predominance of the foundational race and politics theories and research on the salience of race and American politics focuses on the black and white context. We will examine some of these foundational theories and studies, as well as explore some of the emerging literature on the attitudes, behaviors, and politics of Latinos and Asian Americans.  

This is a graduate seminar which means your active engagement and participation is essential and expected.