Themes vary by term. Diversity of people gives creativity and strength to U.S. society, but also the most passionate conflicts and acute suffering of many of our citizens. This course will examine a number of racial and ethnic groups including African Americans, American Indians, Latinos, and Asian Americans, to determine the major patterns of conflict and accommodation with the dominant culture. We will use social science perspectives to gain insight into the personal, group, and larger social structural issues related to ethnicity and ethnic violence and cleansing. We will see how we can reduce racial and ethnic tensions and discrimination, and enjoy and celebrate our diversity.
All societies have religion, and all depend upon it for solidarity.
We examine the elements common to all world religions and focus on the relationship between Protestantism and its competitors. Societies usually change by virtue of technological progress and economic thrusts into new markets. Sometimes these changes come packaged in the form of mass protest. This course takes a hard look at controversial disruptions of racial caste systems, sexual exploitation, the labor market, and family life. We study what most of us regard as problems, why we feel that way, and what we do about it.