CSP 20 Race and the Race for the White House

In this course we will explore the connections between race/ethnicity and American politics, with particular attention to current events and issues. The course will begin by examining the social construction of race/ethnicity, and the role that American political institutions have played in its construction. Then, drawing on cutting-edge research in Political Science and Sociology, we will learn about how and why race has become a central fault line in American electoral politics. We will also think critically about the extent to which the U.S. is a “democracy,” given the persistence of racial inequalities, and the potential to make a more equal and just society.