SOCI 432M: Racial and Ethnic Relations in a Global Society

SOCI 432m: Racial and Ethnic Relations in a Global Society Monday and Wednesday 12:00 – 1:50pm Spring 2014 KAP 159

Instructor: Christine Jun, Ph.D. Office: HSH 221 Office hours: M/W 10-11:30am and by appt. Email Address: [email protected]

Themes and Goals: Within this class, we will examine race and ethnic relations globally. We will explore the effects of US’ changing attitudes toward international relations. More specifically, it will be observed through the intellectual accomplishments and failures of one particular geographer: Isaiah Bowman. This biography offers one explanation of the US’ long climb towards its goal of world hegemony through foreign and commercial policy. With an examination of commercial (or trade) policies come an understanding of how approximately 27 million slaves exist globally today. Accordingly, a study of the slave market will show the profound transformation of the international economy as well as reveal how questions of race and ethnicity come into play in this macroeconomic arrangement.

In addition to examining the nature of today’s economic structure, this course will also focus on the link between culture and foreign policy. With this said, this course will center on US cultural representations of the Middle East, US foreign policy, the role of religion in politics, and the politics of race. To some degree, this course will dissect American investment in the Middle East as a central element of our own national and racial identities. Lastly, I am well aware that you – my students – may have been no more than 4 to 9 years of age when the 9/11 attacks occurred. One of the goals of the course is to better assist you to understand what is likely to be the defining political events of your lives.

Be advised that we may discuss topics that may make some people uncomfortable. In this class, we will attempt to discover some of the ways in which people and society are shaped by social norms, values, and large scale socio-political institutions as well as economic structure. By the end of the course, we will have a greater understanding of ourselves, our global location in society, and others’ position in society.

Student Evaluation: Attendance and Participation 15% Monday In-class Essays 10% Midterm 20% Term paper 30% Final 25%

1 Attendance and Participation: You are expected to attend every class and come prepared to participate in a lively discussion by reading and analyzing each assigned reading beforehand. In addition, you are expected to welcome the expression of differing viewpoints and treat each and every one in class with respect. Some information will be presented in class that will not appear in the readings, so it is essential that if you miss a class that you get notes from a classmate or check Blackboard for the lecture notes. You are expected to be courteous, which means quietly listening when others are speaking during class, and arriving and departing on time.

Students often overlook the importance of participation and attendance in their course grade. This grade is based on the percentage of class meetings and discussions you attend (you can’t participate if you are not here), and may be increased or decreased based on your participation. Your grade will increase if your comments and questions reflect knowledge of course material, as well as courteous attention to your professor and peers. Your grade will decrease if you exhibit disruptive behavior such as inattentiveness (by way of texting or checking email) or disrespect towards your professor and peers.

Technology Etiquette: Email is a great resource but never takes the place of a conversation. Please include “SOCI 432m” in the subject line. Lengthy questions or concerns should be addressed during office hours. Keep in mind that all your professors are quite busy and probably cannot check email as often as you may. Cell phones should be turned off during all class meetings.

You are welcome to bring a laptop to class if this is how you prefer to take notes, but I ask that you sit in the back of the classroom as its usage may become a distraction. If its use becomes a distraction, you may be asked not to bring it to class. We will be using Blackboard as I will post lecture notes, handouts, and articles.

In-class Essays: Each Monday (starting 1/27) there will be a brief in-class essay assignment to ascertain how well you are engaged in the course (attending lectures and reading assignments). The assignment will be given towards the end of class. The essay topic will come from a central theme from the previous week’s reading and class discussions and will be an opportunity for you to reflect on the material. These assignments are graded full credit, partial credit, and no credit and cannot be made up under any circumstance. However, you can miss three essays without penalty. If you are prepared each Monday, it is possible that you will earn extra credit, since there will be 13 assignments, each worth 1% of your overall grade; you therefore have the opportunity to earn 3 additional percentage points. Do not assume that simply filling a page will earn you credit; your writing must reflect awareness of central issues and ideas expressed by the authors and in class.

2 Term Paper, Midterm, and Final Exam: The midterm and final exam will be a combination of multiple choice and long answers which will require thoughtful analysis and application of issues from the readings and lectures. The term paper will involve an in-depth exploration of a class-related topic of your choice. Details will be provided after the midterm. All deadlines are firm; late term papers will be reduced by 10% per day (including weekend days). The paper must reflect original work. The term paper must be turned in on Blackboard’s Turnitin site to generate an originality report – instructions will be provided.

Diversity Requirement: This course fulfills the Diversity Requirement by focusing on two different forms of difference: race, and to a lesser extent, class. Students will learn about race and racism in several ways, including housing segregation, the racialized nature of the economy, and how institutional racism works, and how learning about and living in a diverse society can function as a form of enrichment.

Extra Credit Opportunity: Joint Educational Project (JEP) is a service-learning program at USC, offering students the opportunity to combine academic coursework with experiences in the community surrounding the campus. The students would be working as either mentors or teaching assistants in local K- 12 classrooms helping children who have fallen behind as well as acting as general classroom aids.

Academic Integrity: Be aware that cheating and plagiarism are severe violations of academic standards and may severely affect your grade in this class as well as your status as a student at USC. Should you require assistance in writing your assignments, please contact the USC Writing Center at (213) 740-3691.

Required Text: Bales, Kevin. 2012. Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy. Berkeley: University of California Press.

McAlister, Melani. 2005. Epic Encounters: Culture, Media, and U.S. Interests in the Middle East since 1945. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Smith, Neil. 2004. American Empire: Roosevelt’s Geographer and the Prelude to Globalization. Berkeley: University of California Press.

I will also assign additional reading material throughout the semester which will be posted on Blackboard.

Optional Readings: The Economist at http://economist.com/

3 Date Topic Reading M 1/13 . Introduction to the course W 1/15 . McAlister introduction (pp. 1-8 and 13-29) M 1/20 . Martin Luther King Day – No School W 1/22 . McAlister introduction (pp. 29-42) . McAlister chapter 1: “Benevolent Supremacy”(pp. 43-60 and 67-72) M 1/27 . McAlister chapter 2: The Middle East in African American Cultural Politics, 1955- 1972 (pp. 84-101) . FIRST IN-CLASS ESSAY W 1/29 . McAlister chapter 3: King Tut, Commodity Nationalism, and the Politics of Oil, 1973- 1979 (pp. 125-149) M 2/03 . McAlister chapter 4: The Good Fight – Israel After Vietnam, 1972-1980 (pp. 155- 187) W 2/05 . McAlister chapter 5: Iran, Islam, and the Terrorist Threat, 1979-1989 (pp. 193-223) M 2/10 . McAlister chapter 6: Military Multiculturalism in the Gulf War and After, 1990-1999 (pp. 235-259) W 2/12 . McAlister conclusion (pp. 266-292) M 2/17 . Presidents’ Day – No School W 2/19 . McAlister conclusion (pp. 292-307) M 2/24 . Smith chapter 5: The Inquiry – Geography and a “Scientific Peace” (pp. 113-122 and 130-138) W 2/26 . Smith chapter 6: A Last Hurrah for Old World Geographies (pp. 139-143 and 149- 156) M 3/03 . Smith chapter 7: “Revolutionarily Yours” (pp. 181-192) W 3/05 . Smith chapter 7: “Revolutionarily Yours” (pp. 192-207) . Midterm Due M 3/10 . Smith chapter 10: Geopolitics (pp. 273- 277) . Bales chapter 1: The New Slavery (pp. 1- 19) W 3/12 . Smith chapter 11: Silence and Refusal (pp. 293-299) . Bales chapter 1: The New Slavery (pp. 19- 33) M 3/17 and W 3/19 . Spring Break – No School M 3/24 . Smith chapter 11: Silence and Refusal (pp.

4 304-316) . Bales chapter 2: Thailand – Because She Looks Like a Child (pp. 34-57) W 3/26 . Smith chapter 13: Toward Development (pp. 347-355) M 3/31 . Smith chapter 13: Toward Development (pp. 355-360 and 370-373) . Bales chapter 2: Thailand – Because She Looks Like a Child (pp. 57-79) W 4/02 . Smith chapter 14: Frustrated Globalism, Compromise Geographies (pp. 373-379 and 380-388) M 4/07 . Smith chapter 14: Frustrated Globalism, Compromise Geographies (pp. 389-401) . Bales chapter 3: Mauritania – Old Times There Are Not Forgotten (pp. 80-100) W 4/09 . Smith chapter 14: Frustrated Globalism, Compromise Geographies (pp. 401-415) . Bales chapter 3: Mauritania – Old Times There Are Not Forgotten (pp. 100-120 M 4/14 . Bales chapter 4: Brazil – Life on the Edge W 4/16 . Smith chapter 16: Geographical Solicitude M 4/21 . Bales chapter 5: Pakistan – When a Slave is Not a Slave? (pp. 149-165) W 4/23 . Bales chapter 5: Pakistan – When a Slave is Not a Slave? (pp. 165-194) M 4/28 . Bales chapter 6: India – The Ploughman’s Lunch W 4/30 . Bales chapter 7: What Can Be Done? . Research Papers Due IV. Final Friday, May 9th from 11am – 1pm

**All readings and assignments are estimates and subject to change**