Advanced Theories of Race, Nation, Ethnicity

Soc 527        Dr. Gonzalo Santos       Winter 2011

Office:         DDH - AA205

Office Hrs:  11:00 am - 12:30 pm MWF, or by appointment

Phone:         (661) 664-2191

Email:        santos_class@csub.edu

Website:      http://www.csub.edu/~gsantos/

Textbooks

• Les Back, John Solomos, Eds., 2009. Theories of Race and Racism. A Reader / 2nd Edition. Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-41254-4

• Montserrat Guibernau, John Rex, Eds., 2010. The Ethnicity Reader: Nationalism, Multiculturalism and Migration / 2nd Edition. Wiley, John & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-745-64702-9 
  

This course attempts to advance our understanding of the various theories of the social constructs of race & racism, nation & nationalism, ethnicity, multiculturalism, & migration in the modern world-system. There are many ways to do this. In our case, we will explore a wide variety of authors -- sixty one selections in all - in two up-to-date anthologies: one focused on race & racism, the other on ethnicity, nationalism, multiculturalism, and migration.

Class Presentations: The course will be run as a seminar based on the two textbooks chosen. At every session, on a rotational basis, two, three, or four students will make formal class presentations on an equal number of assigned readings for that day, followed by Dr. Santos comments and open discussion. Each student will be assigned a total of four presentations during the quarter. The individual presentations will be oral (no need for PowerPoint), accompanied by a page or two handout containing (a) title of reading, date, and student name, (b) abstract, (c) main topics covered and arguments made by author, and (d) further question(s) for discussion. Presentations may take between the ten to fifteen minute range. Dr. Santos will expect everyone to come to class fully prepared to discuss all the assigned texts for each class. Please be on time, especially the presenters. Absences & tardiness/leaving early, especialy by the presenters, will be severely penalized. Presenters should bring enough copies of their presentation handouts for all in class (15 copies).

Research Papers: Students will write two research papers, the first due on Monday, February 21 in class, and the second due on Thursday, March 17, before noon, at Dr. Santos' office. The topics of these papers, which must be cleared by Dr. Santos, may vary widely by content and space-time range; they may focus on theoretical and/or historical issues as diverse as racialization, nation-building,  ethnogenesis, ethnicity & migration, etc.; or be a critical & comparative study of particular thinkers or schools of thought; or countries or regions of the world; or an investigation of the role of any of these categories in particular contemporary social, political, cultural, or economic processes.

Extra credit: There are two general studies courses that students are strongly encouraged to take if they wish to develop their research skills, and if they do will receive extra credit in this course:

GST 126 - Researching the Electronic Library (2 units)
Introduces students to effective research techniques using Library electronic resources. Emphasis will be placed upon skills necessary for the identification, retrieval, and evaluation of information for general and specific topics. Students will acquire the competencies necessary to develop an effective search strategy and find research materials, including references to journal articles, full text articles in electronic format, government publications, books, and Internet resources.

 GST 153 - Research on the Internet (2 units)
Introduces students to the information resources available on the Internet for research purposes Students will develop general knowledge of the Internet, navigation skills, effective search strategy skills, familiarity with Internet finding tools, evaluation methodologies and other Internet research skills.

Contact: Ms. Christy Gavin
Librarian, Walter W. Stiern Library
cgavin@csub.edu
661-664-3237

Private but brief and to the point e-mail messages to Dr. Santos (NOT a substitute for office visits, please) may be sent to: santos_class@csub.edu. Expect a one-line response. Finally, students may email or leave messages at Dr. Santos' phone if for any emergency reason they will be absent or have any other urgent matter to communicate to him.