Race, Immigration, and the Making of Inequality

In what ways has the interpretation of race and immigration shaped the current system of stratification in American society? This course focuses on answering this question from a historical and contemporary perspective. Using a sociological approach, we analyze the meaning of ethno-racial formation and categorization and survey the different processes that contribute to ethno-racial inequality. Engaging empirical research, we pay special attention to how individuals and groups interpret and experience the institutional arrangements that perpetuate exclusion and disadvantage by race and immigration status. The course aims to provide the analytical tools required to understand race relations in everyday life.