AFL 125-0900 Spring 2021 PDF

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BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE The City University of New York Center for Ethnic and Race Studies Title of Course: Comparative Ethnic Studies

AFL 125-0900

Class Hours: Tuesdays/Thursdays 9:00-10:15 am Laboratory Hours per Week: None Zoom link:

Synchronous Online Course

https://bmcc-cuny.zoom.us/j/81566381052?pwd=bXJPQnVEV1JHYVM3UnByMmtpbHNFQT09

SPRING 2021 – 3 Credits/3 Hours Instructor Information: Professor Hayley Wagner Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11:00 am - 12:30 pm on Zoom https://bmcc-cuny.zoom.us/j/86528399988?pwd=TUpNZ2ZmS2xOSXViQ0hxMTI4VHJ4UT09

Email: [email protected] Course Description: This course surveys the long history of cross-racial and inter-ethnic interactions among immigrants, migrants, people of color and working people in the United States and the wider world from the era of mercantile capitalism in the sixteenth century to the present. By making inroads into the dynamic worlds that indigenous people, people of African and Latin American descent, European Americans, and Asian Americans made and remade, the course aims to reach across borders of all kinds, including national boundaries, to cultivate global, transnational and comparative perspectives on race and ethnicity. In particular, it places emphasis on relationships and conflicts between these diverse groups, especially how they were treated and defined in relation to each other. Broadly, this course is concerned with how these groups struggle to stake out their place in a highly unequal world. Basic Skills: -Critical reading and analysis -Summarize main argument of text -Compare and contrast arguments in a cohesive essay -Synthesize theory and contemporary events/case studies -ENG 088, ESL 094, ESL 095, and ACR 062. Prerequisites: None Corequisites: None Required Text and Readings: 1. Yang, Philip Q. Ethnic Studies: Issues and Approaches.  Albany: State University of New York Press, 2000. Readings available on blackboard.

2. Chang, Jeff. We Gon’ Be Alright: Notes on Race and Segregation . New York: Picador Press, 2016. Readings available on blackboard. 3. Other PDFs and readings via Blackboard as assigned.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (Students will be able to…)

Measurements (means of assessment for student learning outcomes listed in first column)

1. Explain and use key concepts, such as race, ethnicity, class, gender, globalization and citizenship.

1. Reading assignments, quizzes, and critical response papers on case studies.

2. Analyze identity formation, transformations of communities and cultures; and working power relations

2. Class discussion and debate, particularly with regard to case studies, as a means of merging theory and current events.

3. Recognize the interconnectedness and difference between and among diverse racial and ethnic groups, including immigrant, migrant, people of color, and working class people.

3. Reading assignments and critical response papers will require students to analyze how class, race, gender, and sexuality intersect in American life.

4. Explore multiple ways of performing socially responsible acts of global citizenship

4. Students will be asked to apply their theoretical skills to contemporary issues in society such as police brutality and structural violence.

5. Look at various way of how to use the comparative methodological approach.

5. Students will compare and contrast various scholars, authors, and theorists in their writing assignments and in short answer questions on quizzes.

6. To encourage the understanding of the diversity within racial and ethnic groups.

6. The class will emphasize the fluidity of ethnic studies and the crucial intersections within it. This will be tested on quizzes and exams.

7. Critically engage the terms used to describe people and/or groups.

7. Through writings on case studies, students will examine the nature of socially constructed boundaries in modern American society as well as their effect on people’s lives.

General Education Goals and Measurements General Education Goals that will be covered and assessed in this course: Communication Skills- Students will be able to write, read, listen and speak critically and effectively.

Social and Behavioral Sciences- Students will be able to apply the concepts and methods of the social sciences.

Measurements Students will be asked to write critical responses to their reading of primary and secondary sources. In addition, students will hone their communication skills through close readings, class participation, and class discussion. Students will apply the concepts and methods of the social sciences through the study of analytical and ethnographic text. They will also learn to apply social, political, and economic context to their writings and discussion.

CUNY COMMON CORE Location Please check below the area of the Common Core for which the course is being submitted. (Select only one.) Required ☐ English Composition ☐ Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning ☐ Life and Physical Sciences

Flexible ☐ World Cultures and Global Issues Society ☒ US Experience in its Diversity World ☐ Creative Expression

☐ Individual and ☐ Scientific

U.S. Experience in its Diversity A Flexible Core course must  meet the three learning outcomes in the right column.

Students will become more knowledgeable about how the changing field of ethnic studies integrates an analysis of gender, class, race, and sexuality. They will demonstrate their knowledge of this information in their class activities: writing assignments, group activities, quizzes, and exams.

● Gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety of sources and points of view.

Students will be able to think critically about how individuals are influenced by political, geographic, economic, cultural, and family institutions in their own and other diverse cultures and explain how one’s own belief system may differ from others.

● Evaluate evidence and arguments critically or analytically.

Students should demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter through their performance in class discussions and debates, in critical response papers, quizzes and their midterm/final examination. Students will identify and analyze the significance of historic and contemporary issues in ethnic studies in their writing assignments and quizzes.

● Produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions.

Students will also work collaboratively in small groups and be given assignments to assess application of concepts discussed in class. Students will be asked to participate in large class discussions to elaborate in concepts addressed in their textbooks and class lecture. A course in this area (II.B) must meet at least three of the additional learning outcomes in the right column. A student will: Students will be able to think critically by contextualizing by comparing and contrasting how individuals are influenced by political, geographic, economic, cultural, and family institutions in their own and other diverse cultures and explain how one’s own belief system may differ from others. Students will examine the current nature of inequality in the U.S. including discussions on racial discrimination, structural violence, and “colorblindness.” Students will demonstrate their knowledge via individual and group class participation and assignments, as well as critical response papers.

● Identify and apply the fundamental concepts and methods of a discipline or interdisciplinary field exploring the U.S. experience in its diversity, including, but not limited to, anthropology, communications, cultural studies, economics, history, political science, psychology, public affairs, sociology, and U.S. literature.

Students will analyze the effect public policy has on the formation of ethnic and racial categories as well as the long history of racial discrimination in the U.S. They will

● Analyze and explain one or more major themes of U.S. history from more than one informed perspective.

compare and contrast changes in their writing assignments and peer learning activities.

Students will examine issues such as immigration reform, police brutality, and gendered racial discrimination in critical response papers. This will assess application of concepts discussed in class and in assigned readings.

● Evaluate how indigenous populations, slavery, or immigration have shaped the development of the United States.

Evaluation and Requirements of Students: BMCC Grading Scale A 93-100% C 73-76% A- 90-92 % C- 70-72% B+ 87-89% D+ 67-69% B 83-86% D 63-66% B- 80-82% D- 60-62% C+ 77-79% F 59% and Lower Assignments will include two exams (one midterm and one final), three in-class quizzes, and two 3-page writing assignments. Papers must be emailed to me, and MUST be sent by the 11:59 pm Eastern time on the day due. There are no make-up assignments, quizzes, or exams. Unless a note signed by a medical professional is handed in to me, you will receive an F for any missing assignments. Class Participation: Quizzes (3): Critical response papers (2): Midterm Exam: Final:

15% (In-Class Participation and Discussion Board Posts) 20% (Lowest quiz grade will be dropped) 20% 20% 25%

Class Participation/Discussion Board Posts (15%): Participation will be graded on a series of Discussion Board assignments on blackboard. These assignments will be due on the date listed below at 11:59 pm. Posts submitted after this time will not receive credit. Details on topics of discussion are laid out each week on the Discussion Board tab. Please be prepared for class and ready to discuss the week’s readings or assignments. Please turn on your microphones for Zoom class - I also encourage you to turn on your cameras if able as well to aid discussion. Students should actively engage peers and the instructor in class

discussion/debates, think critically, and ask questions that pertain to the day’s topic. Active participation makes for lively discussion! Quizzes (20%): Three in-class quizzes (through blackboard) will be given throughout the semester that will cover that unit’s readings and lectures. Quizzes will consist of 3 free response questions, of which you will answer at least 2. Quizzes must be completed by 11:59 pm on the day indicated on the syllabus. Be sure to take critical notes and review them before each quiz; this will also aid you in your response paper writing. If you miss a quiz, you will receive a zero unless properly excused. I will drop the lowest quiz score out of the three. Critical Response paper (20%): Each student will be required to write two  3-page (double-spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman font) response papers on readings assigned in class (marked with a ** on the syllabus). You must write ONE paper before the midterm, and ONE after. Your paper MUST be turned in via email the day indicated at 11:59 pm. Late papers will not be accepted. Note that you must read each assigned primary source, even if you do not plan on writing on it. You must cite all sources appropriately with (Author, pg#) or (Website name) at the end of the sentence in which you reference the source. Plagiarism in any form on critical response papers will be given an automatic 0/F. Papers must be submitted in .doc or .pdf format (no google docs). **Tips for writing critical response papers: -The response should address the text’s basic argument, the key claims or evidence by which this argument is developed, and questions you would like to have discussed in class. You should also discuss the contextual significance of the reading—how was this piece important for the context in which it was written? What other social, political, or economic factors influenced this writing? What evidence does the author use to make his/her argument? How does this specific case study relate to the unit we are studying? Be sure to include specific references from the text to support your writing. Difficulties with Technology You must have a plan for dealing with technical difficulties. It is your responsibility if your internet goes out in the middle of submitting an assignment. It is your responsibility to find alternate ways to access content (campus Learning Center offers internet and computers). Reach out to me before assignments are due if you are having emergency issues that prevent you from participating in the course. Online Learning Orientation All students must complete the Online Learning Orientation before the course begins. If you have completed the orientation previously, please upload the certificate. If you’ve lost the certificate, you can take the orientation again or reach out to the E-learning Center, they might be able to retrieve it for you.

Class Participation Participation in the academic activity of each course is a significant component of the learning process and plays a major role in determining overall student academic achievement. Academic activities may include, but are not limited to, attending class, submitting assignments, engaging in in-class or online activities, taking exams, and/or participating in group work. Each instructor has the right to establish their own class participation policy, and it is each student’s responsibility to be familiar with and follow the participation policies for each course. Academic Adjustments for Students with Disabilities Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. BMCC is committed to providing equal access to all programs and curricula to all students. BMCC Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Statement Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one’s own creation. Using the idea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The library has guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work. The full policy can be found on BMCC’s Web site, www.bmcc.cuny.edu. For further information on integrity and behavior, please consult the college bulletin (also available online). BMCC is committed to the health and well-being of all students. It is common for everyone to seek assistance at some point in their life, and there are free and confidential services on campus that can help. Single Stop www.bmcc.cuny.edu/singlestop, r oom S230, 212-220-8195. If you are having problems with food or housing insecurity, finances, health insurance or anything else that might get in the way of your studies at BMCC, come by the Single Stop Office for advice and assistance. Assistance is also available through the Office of Student Affairs, S350, 212-2208130. Counseling Center www.bmcc.cuny.edu/counseling, room S343, 212-220-8140. Counselors assist students in addressing psychological and adjustment issues (i.e., depression, anxiety, and relationships) and can help with stress, time management and more. Counselors are available for walk-in visits. Office of Compliance and Diversity w  ww.bmcc cuny.edu/aac, room S701, 212-220-1236. BMCC is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive learning environment free of unlawful discrimination/harassment, including sexual harassment, where all students are treated fairly. For information about BMCC's policies and resources, or to request additional assistance in this

area,please visit or call the office, or email o [email protected], or [email protected]. If you need immediate assistance, please contact BMCC Public safety at 212-220-8080. Office of Accessibility w  ww.bmcc.cuny.edu/accessibility, room N360 (accessible entrance: 77 Harrison Street), 212-220-8180. This office collaborates with students who have documented disabilities, to coordinate support services, reasonable accommodations, and programs that enable equal access to education and college life. To request an accommodation due to a documented disability, please visit or call the office. Class Schedule and Assigned Readings: (chapters are to be read BEFORE class on the day scheduled unless otherwise noted) **Note: Syllabus subject to change. UNIT 1: INTRO TO RACE AND ETHNICITY Tuesday, February 2- Course information and overview. Discussion: What is ethnic studies? How do we define race and ethnicity? Thursday, February 4● Read: Yang’s Ethnic Studies: Issues and Approaches: Introduction Tuesday, February 9● Read: Excerpts from Americanah  by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. ● Watch: Race: The Power of an Illusion. Thursday, February 11● Read: Yang Chapter 3 “Theories of Ethnicity.” Tuesday, February 16● Finish Ch. 3. Thursday, February 18● Read: Excerpts from Between the World and Me  by Ta-Nehisi Coates. ● Discussion Board post: Post  200+ words on Between the World and Me by Sunday, 2/21 at 11:59 pm. 2 responses to classmates’ posts are due Monday, 2/22 11:59 pm. Tuesday, February 23 ● Read: Chang’s We Gon’ Be Alright  Introduction “The Crisis Cycle.” Thursday, February 25● QUIZ #1 (40 minute timed quiz on blackboard due at 11:59pm 2/25).

UNIT 2: COLORBLINDNESS, DISCRIMINATION, AND STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE Tuesday, March 2● Read: Yang Chapter 4 “Ethnic Stratification”. Thursday, March 4● Watch: Documented by Jose Antonio Vargas ● Discussion Board post: Post  200+ words on Documented by Sunday, 3/7 at 11:59 pm. 2 responses to classmates’ posts are due Monday, 3/8 11:59 pm. Tuesday, March 9 ● Read: Yang Chapter 5 “Ethnic Adaptation.” ● QUIZ #2 (40 minute timed quiz on blackboard due at 11:59 pm 3/9). Thursday, March 11 ● Read: **Chang “The Odds: On Cultural Equity” (RESPONSE PAPER OPTION #1 “The Odds” DUE by 11:59 pm via email) Tuesday, March 16 ● Read: Yang Chapter 10 “Ethnic Segregation” Thursday, March 18 ● Read: **Chang “Vanilla Cities and Their Chocolate Suburbs: on Resegregation” (RESPONSE PAPER OPTION #2 “Vanilla Cities and Their Chocolate Suburbs” DUE by 11:59 pm via email) Tuesday, March 23 - Midterm Review Thursday, March 25 - MIDTERM EXAM (1 hr 25 minute timed exam on blackboard due 11:59pm 3/25). Tuesday, March 29 - NO CLASS (Spring Recess) Thursday, April 1 - NO CLASS (Spring Recess) Tuesday, April 6● Read: Yang Chapter 7 “Ethnic Prejudice.”

Thursday, April 8 ● In class reading: Excerpts from Guantanamo Diary  by Mohamedou Ould Slahi. ● Discussion Board post: Post  200+ words on Guantanamo Diary by Sunday, 4/11 at 11:59 pm. 2 responses to classmates’ posts are due Monday, 4/12 at 11:59 pm. UNIT 3: INTERSECTIONALITY OF ETHNIC STUDIES: RACE, CLASS, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY Tuesday, April 13 ● Read: Yang Chapter 13 “Race, Class, and Gender.” ● Read: Excerpt from Gender Talk: The Struggle for Women’s Equality in African American Communities ( 2003) by Johnnetta Cole and Beverly Guy-Sheftall (blackboard). Thursday, April 15● Watch: Anita ( 2013). ● Discussion Board post: Post  200+ words on Anita by Sunday, 4/18 at 11:59 pm. 2 responses to classmates’ posts are due Monday, 4/19 at 11:59 pm. Tuesday, April 20● Read: Yang Chapter 6 “Ethnic Differences in Socioeconomic Achievement” ● Read: The Moynihan Report ( blackboard). Thursday, April 22● QUIZ #3 (40  minute timed exam on blackboard due at 11:59 pm 4/22). Tuesday, April 27● Read: **Excerpt from Women, Race, and Class ( 1981) b y Angela Davis (blackboard) Thursday, April 29● Continue Davis discussion (RESPONSE PAPER OPTION #1 ON Women, Race, and Class DUE by 11:59pm via email) UNIT 4: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES...