CULTURES OF RACE AND RACISM - 2020/1

Module Overview

This module will explore the formation of racial and ethnic identities within the context of cultures of racism in the West. The module will examine the historical construction of ‘race’ in the 18th and 19th centuries before considering theoretical approaches to the study of ‘race’ and gender, ‘race’ and class, multiculturalism and citizenship, the ‘racial state’, space and segregation, diaspora, hybridity, mixed-race studies and critical whiteness studies. The module will also consider the possibility for post-racial identities.

 

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

HARMAN Vicki (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

•  Historical perspectives: ‘race’, entlightenment and Empire


• ‘Race’, ethnicity and social theory


• ‘Race’, class and gender


• ‘Race’, state and nation


• Multiculturalism and citizenship


• ‘Community cohesion’, space and segregation


• Diaspora and hybridity


• Mixed-race


• Critical Whiteness


• Post-race and neo-liberalism

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of key debates in ethnic and racial studies in some depth. The summative essay will enable them to demonstrate their ability to construct an argument in relation to these debates that is well structured, well supported with academic literature and shows an appreciation of academic techniques and practices.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• A 2000 word essay


• A One hour seen exam

Module aims

• To provide an introduction to theorisations of racism and ethnicity
• To explore media responses, policy debates and popular discourse around ‘race', racism and ethnicity
• Introduce students to the ways in which racism and ethnicity interact with other forms of social difference such as ‘nation', ‘gender’, and ‘class’.
• Encourage students to evaluate the role of racism in the structure of British society.
• To explore current theoretical debates around multiculturalism and citizenship, segregation, mixed-race, ‘post-race', and critical whiteness studies. 

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to provide students with an introduction to key topics in ethnic and racial studies. The lectures will expose students to key theorists and key debates and these will be supported by required reading each week. The seminars provide the opportunity to discuss these ideas in more depth and work in groups on particular tasks which encourage them to think critically and independently, and will help them in the writing of their essay. The seminars will also involve specific ‘news tasks’ which are allocated to different groups each week and encourage them to present a discussion of a news article in class. This will develop their presentation skills and demonstrate how concepts and theories discussed in class relate to contemporary issues and events.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• 1 hour lecture per week x 11 weeks


• 1 hour seminar (class discussion/group work) per week x 11 weeks


• 1 hour exam preparation session in week 12


•  Weekly readings and seminar preparation

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOC3033

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.