Social Construction of Race and Ethnicity

Harvard FAS

A common refrain both in the public discourse and within sociology courses is that race and ethnicity are social constructs. But what does it mean for race and ethnicity to be socially constructed, and what is the difference between those constructs in the first place? Students (and faculty), so ensconced within our disciplinary silo, often assume the social constructivist position is a settled matter. Empirical work demonstrates it is not. This course exposes students to debates about how…