The Purpose of this course is to introduce students to a new way of understanding Race and Ethnicity in America within an historical context. In this course we will explore the terms “race,” “ethnicity,” and “culture” and understand how America’s unique racial, ethnic, and cultural mixture has been central to theUnited States’ past and present. We will also discuss prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination and the ways these attitudes and practices have shaped this society in the past and continue to play a major role today. In order to examine these ideas we will explore the history of several ethnic groups in America including Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latino Americans. Through readings, lecture, film, and discussion students will gain a broader understanding of the manner in which race and ethnicity have played a central role in shaping American society.
Within our classroom we will strive to exemplify Saint Leo University’s core value of “community” by fostering “a spirit of belonging, unity, and interdependence based on mutual trust and respect.” Successful students will be active members of this classroom community by getting to know each other, supporting each other, and participating with each other in classroom discussions about the required readings, assignments, lectures, and films.
