This course will provide historical context on the development of race and racial attitudes, and demonstrate the crucial role that they play in contemporary politics with a particular focus on immigration, criminal justice, welfare, and housing policy. The assigned readings will examine how the mere presence of underrepresented racial groups in the United States has shaped policies in these arenas, and the way these policies have, in turn, shaped the material circumstances and the burgeoning identities of these groups. The course will also uncover the complex relationship between race, political participation, and public opinion. |