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Professor: Nathan D. Woods
Phone: (909) 268-8866
Office Hours: Upon Request
E-Mail: nathan.woods@cgu.edu
Scope and Purpose of the Course
This seminar is intended to provide a foundation for thinking about the question of racial and ethnic minority status as it relates with American Politics. Perhaps at no recent time has the topic of race in American Politics been more salient than in the wake of the 2000 Presidential election, and the events that unfolded in Florida between November 7 and December 12. These events brought into focus both the continuing issue of African-American enfranchisement, or disenfranchisement, and the ever-important role of the Latino (in this case Cuban) vote. But clearly, voting and electoral politics are not the only source of concern with regard to race and ethnicity in American politics. The period between elections is characterized by actions and behavior exhibited by political institutions and public policy making which also affect the lives of racial and ethnic minorities in America in significant ways, and correspondingly structure the role minorities might play in affecting the larger political process.
This seminar focuses on how a variety of topics in American politics affect African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Latinos. These topics include symbolic racism, issues of representation, minority political behavior, public policy making and California politics. Rather than examine these larger themes on a group-by-group basis, we will consider each of the issues affecting racial and ethnic minority politics comparatively across groups. Always, the intention of the class is to make clear the points of conflict, and areas of potential consensus in ethnic and minority politics, both between groups themselves, and between minority and majority communities. While the course is focused on these three groups in particular, we will consider the roles of other groups as well in American Politics. In all, I expect students to leave the course with a firm introductory grasp of the relationship between race and ethnicity on the one hand, and American politics on the other.
Course Materials
One book is required for the course, and a comprehensive reader.
§ Can We All Get Along? Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics. Paula D. McClain and Joseph Stewart Jr.
§ Course Reader
As much as possible, we will tie current political events in with the concepts we cover in class. Accordingly, students are expected to be familiar with any such events covered in various media. Good sources for such information include most public newspapers, National Public Radio, and various politically relevant programming on CNN, and CNBC, and the Internet, among others.
Written work undertaken outside the classroom must be typed; thus, access to a typewriter, word processor or computer is necessary.
Attendance, Participation and Plagiarism
Points will not be given for attendance per se, however, classroom participation is graded heavily, and a favorable grade is dependent upon you being in class. Twenty percent of your final course grade (the difference between an A and a C, or a B and a D etc.) will be based upon your active and insightful participation.
Plagiarism is a serious offense, and will not be treated lightly in this class. Simply put, to present someone else's work as one's own is cheating. Please take every precaution to avoid even the perception of impropriety in your work.
Course Format and Requirements
Format
In general this class is designed as a seminar, where discussion and critical evaluations of the week's readings will be paramount. Additionally, some class meetings will include small group work, and possibly some use of video excerpts - focused particularly on the topics covered in the weeks' readings, or on relevant and timely current events.
Readings, Discussion & Group Work
Readings must be completed BEFORE the class period for which they are assigned. Seminars are intended to broaden the discussion based upon the readings, and are not simply an opportunity for me to regurgitate what you have already read. We will be meeting twice a week, and it is imperative that students come to class prepared for each day's seminar and discussion. Because participation is graded heavily, active involvement in seminar is not only suggested, but is required to ensure a good grade.
Grading and Course Outline
In addition to participation, your final course grade will consist of three short précis' and a research design. The précis' will be due, one each, in three weeks out of the six we have for the course. More detail will be given in class, but these should be two to three pages in length, and are designed to distil the most essential points out of a given reading you will be assigned. You will also be required to give a brief oral presentation based upon the précis. Each précis is worth 10% of your final grade. The research design (8-10 pages) will be due on the last day of class, and you will be required to give a presentation on your research question. In full, the research design and presentation are worth 50% of your final course grade.
Grading Summary
Participation 20%
Précis' (@ 10% each) 30%
Research Design 50%
Total 100%
Course Outline
June 18: Introduction to the Class
No Readings, start on readings for next class
June 20: Background to Race and Politics in the US, and Issues in Conducting Research in Minority Politics
Sitkoff, Harvard, The Struggle for Black Equality, Chapter 1
McClain & Stewart, Can We All Get Along? Racial and Ethnic MInorities in American Politics, Chapter 1
Kinder & Sanders, Divided by Color, Chapter 1
Hero, Rodney, Two Tiered Pluralism, Chapter 1-3
Hero, Rodney, Two Tiered Pluralism, Chapter 10
June 25: Race and Stereotyping as a Basis for Racial and Ethnic Politics*
Jackman, Mary, "Education and Policy Commitment to racial Integration."
Jackman, Mary and Michael Muha, "Education and Intergroup Attitudes: Moral Englightenment, Supreficial Democractic Commitment, or Ideological Refinement?"
Kuklinsky, J.A. "Reserach Proposal."
June 27: Symbolic Racism*
Sears, David, Carl Hensler and Leslie Speer, "Whites' Opposition to Busing: Self Interest or Symbolic Politics?"
Sniderman, Paul and Philip Tetlock, "Symbolic Racism: Problems of Motive Attribution in Political Analysis."
Kinder, Donald, "The Continuing American Dilemma: White Resistance to Racial Change 40 Years After Myrdal."
Sniderman, Paul and Philip Tetlock, "Reflections on American Racism."
July 2: African American Politics and Political Behavior
McClain, Paula and Joseph Stewart Jr. Can We All Get along? Racial and Ethnic MInorities in American Politics, Chapter 3
Reese, Laura and Ronald Brown. 1995. "The Effect of Religious Messages on Racial Identity and System Blame Among African Americans." Journal of Politics 57 1:24-43.
Tate, Katherine. 1991. "Black Political Participation in the 1984 and 1988 Presidential Elections." American Political Science Review 85 4: 1159-1176.
July 4 (need to reschedule): Latino Politics and Political Behavior
Acuna, Rodolfo. 1988. Occupied America. Excerpts.
McConnell, Scott. 1997. "North of the Border, Down Mexico Way." National Review. December 22.
Pantoja, Adrian, Ricardo Ramirez, and Gary M. Segura. 2001. "Citizens By Choice, Voters By Necessity: Patterns of Mobilization by Naturalized Latinos." Political Research Quarterly 54:3.
Tolbert, caroline J. and Rodney E. Hero. 1996. "Race/Ethnicity and Direct Democracy: An Analysis of California's Illegal Immigartion Initiative." Journal of Politics 58:3 806-818.
July 9: Issues of Representation*
McClain, Paula and Joseph Stewart Jr. Can We All Get Along? Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics, Chapter 2
Zimmerman, Joseph, "Alternative Voting Systems for Representative Democracy."
Monroe, Bert, "Understanding Electoral Systems: Beyond Plurality versus PR."
Rush, Mark, "Gerrymandering: Out of the Political Thicket and Into the Quagmire."
Engstrom, Richard, "The Voting Rights Act: Disfranchisement, Dilution and Alternative Election Systems."
Grofman, Bernard et al. "The Voting Rights Act and the Realistic Politics of Second Best." (Chapter 6)
July 11: The Policy Implications of Race & Ethnicity
McClain, Paula and Joseph Stewart Jr. Can We All Get Along? Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics, Chapter 4
Hero, Rodney, Two Tiered Pluralism, Chapter 9
Fraga, Luis et al. "Hispanic Americans and Educational Policy: Limits to Equal Access."
July 16: Conducting Research and Presenting One's Work In Political Science
Handouts
July 18: California Politics
Cain, Bruce, "The Contemporary Context of Ethnic and Racial Politics in California."
Additional handouts
July 23: Coalition or Conflict?
McClain, Paula and Joseph Stewart Jr. Can We All Get Along? Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics, Chapter 5
Morris, Irwin, "African-American Voting on Proposition 187: Rethinking the Prevalence of Interminority Conflict."
Uhlaner, Carole, "Perceived Discrimination and Prejudice and the Coalition Prospects of Blacks, Latinos and Asian Americans."
Hyo Cho, Yong and Pan Suk Kim, "Korean-Black Conflicts and Street Level Politics."
July 25: Research Design Presentations
More Details to Follow
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