Syllabus

CES 101

Introduction to Ethnic Studies

Fall 2013

UCORE: Diversity; GenEd: Intercultural

3 credits

Tuesday/Thursday – 9:10-10:35

Todd 120

Instructor	Dr. David Leonard	E-mail	djl@wsu.edu
Phone	335-6854	Office Hours	TTH – 11:30-1
Office	Wilson 111 or Wilson 117

Introduction and Course Description

In 1969, students at San Francisco State University and University of California, Berkeley launched massive protests at their respective campuses in demand for Ethnic Studies, an increased number of students of color, and a more diverse/representative faculty body. Challenging the Eurocentric nature of the academy (America) and the systematic exclusion of faculty/students of color, the field of Ethnic Studies emerged through struggle, political organizing and resistance. More than forty years later, this course challenges our assumptions of race, privilege and racism as well as the connected social constructs of gender, sexuality and class. It pushes the conversation beyond the United States, looking at how race and racism exists in other parts of globe, emphasizing how globalization connect us in a myriad of ways. Exploring a number of different sites in which racial meaning is created, articulated and challenged, we will come to see how central race (racism) is to the structural organization and lived experiences of our society.

In 2011, Washington State University instituted a series of changes to its general education requirements. Included within these changes was an alteration of its diversity requirement. The new requirement reads as such:

The diversity requirement challenges students to critically analyze cultural differences and systems of inequality by learning about the diversity of human values and experiences. This form of analysis assists cross-cultural (both within the United States and trans-national), communication and understanding, as well as personal development, by helping students to identify, analyze and propose alternatives to current systems of inequality and adapt empathically and flexibly to unfamiliar ways of being.

Specifically, Diversity courses should: (a) promote cultural self-awareness; (b) inform how culture is influenced by history, politics, power and privilege, communication styles, economics, institutionalized discrimination and inequality, and cultural values, beliefs and practices; (c) develop empathy skills that enable students to interpret intercultural experiences; (d) promote curiosity on the part of students to ask complex questions about other cultures and classes, and to seek out answers that reflect multiple cultural perspectives; or (e) encourage students to initiate and develop interactions with culturally different others

Broken into three distinct, but connected sections, this class examines diversity, through an examination and discussion of identity differences, inequality in privilege and opportunity, and other experiences that illustrate the range of human experience within our contemporary world. The initial portion of the class provides a foundational understanding of a number of different key themes and concepts. It will allow us to gain an understanding of the ideas of race, privilege, racism, and institutional racism all concepts mentioned and discussed at great lengths in both public and private discourses, but rarely understood with the necessary critical depth. For example, while the idea of “race” is used on a daily occurrence, more often than not people embrace a biological or a cultural approach (race as ethnicity). However, we will approach the notion of race as a constructed idea that is central to American life and the tenets of white supremacy, capitalism and American nationalism. We will also look at the social construction of race outside of the United States, reflecting on racialization, privilege, and inequality as it has manifested in other parts of the globe. The second section of the course will provide an opportunity to think about the impact of difference, inequality, and racialization within the criminal justice system and restaurant industry. Emphasizing how it not only impacts others but how we collectively connect to these larger social processes, this section will focus on how cultural, economic, racial, and other divisions impact us all, especially in patterns of consumption. The third section will focus on the criminal justice system, illustrating the costs and consequence of racism, inequality, and persistent segregation.

Key Realities

It is important that everyone arrives in class with an open-mind, a critical gaze (a willingness to go beyond common assumptions) and most importantly a willingness and desire to read, attend class, and learn. Without preparedness and reading skills (as well as a desire to engage in those elements of learning) this class will be a struggle. For those students who want to improve these skills, this class will facilitate that process. For those who want a class that does not require thinking, that does not mandate completion of the reading, that sees attendance as superfluous, and is in all ways easy on the mind, this may not be the class for you. For those who think discussions about race and inequality are all about opinions and that class is a space to replicate the opinion-based debates of modern TV culture, this is not the class for you. Please also note that while the course will work to promote discussions and interactive dialogues, the course isn’t a place to haphazardly share opinions without regard for research, facts, and evidence (this is not a debate show that we might see on television). Conversations and opinions should be grounded in research and evidence; in order for productive exchanges, we must speak through research, and specific examples.

Course Blog: The course blog is a one-stop spot where you can find essential information about the class, participate in expansion of discussions, post-your online discussion, enhance your participation grade, and engage in topics and questions related to course materials. A couple points: (1) every student will need to respond to at least 4 questions within this space. (2) Students have the option and opportunity to participate in various discussions in this space. These are optional, but can assist in bolstering your participation score. Blog address – https://ces101fall2013.wordpress.com/

Twitter: I will try to use Twitter as an “in the world” tool and also as one to help you all generate ideas and questions that will help me tailor class lecture better. This, like the blog, is a “third space” which facilitates independent discussion and also serves a s abridge between the popular and the scholarly—which is what this class is all about. Twitter is a spot, a vehicle, a space, and a technology that allows for your quick, but thick thoughts/linkages on what we do in class and what is happening in the wider world related to our class topics. For instance, you may be watching The MTV, or Scandal or the news; you may be walking on campus and realize something, and want to link a real-world discussion/instance of race and want to comment in real-time about this moment. Our #hashtag will be #CES101WSU. Please add this whenever you’re tweeting something relevant to class. This will help to create a searchable archive or RSS feed. Tweet blog links, vids, stories. Participation in twitter can enhance participation score as well as Jeopardy ranking.[1]

Angel: Please note that the course uses Angel to update exam, participation, and online writing scores. These will be updated monthly. It is not used as the course grade book.

Required Readings

Online readings

Saru Jayaraman, Behind the Kitchen Door. Cornell University Press. Cornell University Press (2013) ISBN-13: 978-0801451720)

Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. The New Press (January 5, 2010) ISBN-13: 978-1595586438

RF LCD “Clicker” – You will need to have your clicker by week #3. Failure to have Clicker register will impact participation score. You can register clickers here — http://student.turningtechnologies.com/ (if registered by 8/27, you will receive 15 extra jeopardy points)

Course Requirements

Attendance

You are expected to attend class every day, arrive on time, and participate in an informed and consistent manner. Lecture notes will not be available online so it is imperative that you attend class. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made while you were away. Attendance will be taken throughout the semester; if you are absent between 5-6 times, you will lose 10% from your overall grade; if absent more than 7 times, you will receive an “F” for the course. It is your responsibility to keep track of your absences. Please communicate issues as they arise.

Participation

In order for this class to be productive you will need to come to class each and every day prepared to discuss the material. This requires more than simply doing the reading (WHICH IS ESSENTIAL), but arriving at class with a readiness to discuss the issues for that day. Despite the size of this class, it is my hope that we can have engaging and productive conversations. While I will lecture, it is expected that the class be interactive. In an effort to facilitate dialog and to encourage collective interaction, I am requiring that you purchase a clicker for this class. Your daily participation and contributions/participation via the clicker will be the primary basis of your participation grade. However, participation extends beyond clickers and being engaged within the class.

Recognizing that silence is not always a result of a lack of interest or preparation, I envision participation along many lines. Participating in class not only consists of talking, but also includes listening (please do not talk while others are speaking), interacting with your peers, and contributing to our classroom energy (body language, being engaged – no newspapers, no playing “rock, paper scissors,” or cell phones). Your participation score will consist of clicker points, attendance, and in-class/online participation.

There are three additional ways to enhance your participation grade and contribution to class:

□ You can participate in online discussions, comment on the course blog or otherwise engage our learning community

□ You can e-mail me comments or questions prior to class

□ You can hand me a note at the beginning of class that asks specific questions (or relays comments) about readings, a previous lecture or film – I will do my best to incorporate into that day’s class

□ You can also enhance participation grade by reading the daily newspapers in print or online and bringing the class’s attention to relevant articles/developments

Participation score will be derived from participation in class/online, attendance, and clicker points.

Participation Portion of grades based on following:

135-160 Points: Attends class (less than 2 absences); active participant in class in all regards; enhances and invigorates the class; active and successful with student response device

115-134.99 Points: Attends class; participates and contributes on occasion either in class or online; does not push class conversation in new directions but often contributes; good clicker score

85-114.99 Points: More than 5 absences; low clicker score; contributes on occasions but does so at basic level; engaged, but not active

50-84.99 Points: Rarely contributes, more than 5 absences and low clicker score; shows limited effort and interest in class

25-49.99 Points: Does not contribute, and is often absent; brings little energy and generally demonstrates little interest or effort within class

0-24.99 Points: Rarely in class and when in class detracts from overall success of class because of disinterest, use of cell phone in class, sleeping during class, disengagement, negative attitude rudeness, non or disruptive/destructive participation, etc.

Online writings and discussions (140 Points – 4 x 35)

In order to advance our discussions, to push reflection and dialogue, and to otherwise foster engagement, this class will use our course blog space to expand upon course issues. There will be a particular focus on diversity and the ways in which inequality, differential access to opportunity/privilege, and history defines diversity within the United States.

Every two weeks, I will post a different question. It will be your responsibility to respond to the question at hand and also respond to at least one peer comment. You will be responsible for responding to at least 4 prompts. The key to success here is both self-reflection and engagement with course materials. TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, YOU MUST INTEGRATE SPECIFICS FROM COURSE MATERIALS AND READINGS. The questions will, thus, connect to course materials but also push you to think about your own experiences. Below you will see examples of types of questions you may find throughout the course

Does race matter?
How has racism impacted your life?
Is colorblindness the same as equality?
Are all “whites born into privilege”?
If you identify as white, what does it mean to you to be white? If you do not identify as white, what does whiteness mean to you in this society and/or beyond it? Using readings, film, course discussions, and your own personal experiences, please focus on racialization and the connections between whiteness, privilege, and white supremacy.
Describe in detail the racial and ethnic make-up of either your hometown or your high school.
What are the important facts, historical events, legal and political issues, court cases, etc., that you think are important in the larger history of race in America? Which of these events are still relevant today?
Do people of color in the United States have more in common with people of color from other parts of the world or with whites in America?
How does guilt function within conversations about race?
Who do you represent?
Do you have memories of family or friends challenging racism during your life? Impact here? What examples of anti-racist activist did you learn about in school?
What experiences have shaped and impacted your views about race and racism?
Is every person either a racist or anti-racist? Can only whites be racist in the context of contemporary America?
Should employers be allowed “to discriminate on the basis of past criminal convictions?” Thoughts that every state has laws allowing for discrimination based on criminal history
Why are black offenders “the most severely disadvantaged applicants in the modern job market”
Should states allow inmates or formerly incarcerated Americans to vote?
What is the difference between a criminal and a law-breaker
Do our dollars give approval to the business practices within the restaurant industry? So now the question is what can you do as a consumer?
What are the pictures, feelings, smells, sounds, and words that come to mind when you read the word “restaurant” or “restaurant worker”?

Exams

There are three exams for the class. Each exam will be an in class exam that consists of objective/ multiple-choice questions. The final exam will be cumulative. These exams will test your knowledge and mastery over course lectures, readings, films, and other course materials. Except under unusual circumstances, there will be no make-up exams.

A note on Jeopardy: Prior to each exam, we will have a Jeopardy style review session. Based on participation score for that section of the course, 8 students will be selected to participate in jeopardy. The winning team will be exempt from taking the exam (and receive a perfect score for the exam). Other teams will receive extra credit toward the exam. For Jeopardy purposes, participation scores will be reset after each exam.

Extra Credit

There is the potential for extra credit opportunities available throughout the class. These opportunities will come in the form of in-class activities (via the clicker) and participation in other online activities facilitated through Angel. For example, students will have the opportunity to live tweet lectures as well as participate in other activities. Extra credit is limited to 40 points per student

Assignment Schedule

Due Date**	Assignment	Grade Value
September 19, 2013	Exam #1	225 Points
November 5, 2013	Exam #2	225 Points
December 12, 2013 from 10:10-12:10	Final Exam	250 points

DailyParticipation160 Points4 x semester (minimum)Online Discussions140 points

**We hold right to make adjustments to class and assignment schedule as needed

Grading Scale

1000-930: A

929-900: A-

899-870: B+

869-830: B

829-800: B-

799-770: C+

769-730: C

729-700: C-

699-670: D+

669-600: D

590 and Below: F

Course Schedule

8/20 – Introduction

8/22 – Talking Past each other

Readings: Sarah Jackson, “Why I Want to Talk about Race, And Why You Should, Too,” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-j-jackson/talking-about-race_b_1087356.html; Jen Graves, “Deeply Embarrassed White People Talk Awkwardly About Race,” http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/deeply-embarrassed-white-people-talk-awkwardly-about-race/Content?oid=9747101; Steve Locke, “Why I don’t want to talk about Race” http://goodmenproject.com/ethics-values/why-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-race/; “Let’s talk about Race” http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/being-white-in-philly/5148ef702b8c2a28d2000143

8/27 – What is Race?

Reading: http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-01-x.htm

Film: Race: Power of an Illusion (Part 1)

8/29 – Race as Social Construction

Reading: Lisa Wade, “The Census and the Social Construction of Race,” http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2010/03/29/the-census-and-the-social-construction-of-race/; Sally Raskoff, “The Social Construction of Race, Ethnicity, Sex, and Gender,” http://nortonbooks.typepad.com/everydaysociology/2009/03/the-social-construction-of-race-ethnicity-sex-and-gender.html; Chauncey DeVega, “The Boston Bombers and Why White Privilege Hurts White America,” http://www.washingtonspectator.org/index.php/BREAKING-VIEWS/chauncey-devega-the-boston-bombers-and-why-white-privilege-hurts-white-america.html#.UgE9XVOE5qo; Isa Hopkins, “Is George Zimmerman White or Hispanic, That depends,” http://www.salon.com/2013/07/16/is_george_zimmerman_white_or_hispanic/

9/3 – Racism

Readings: “Can you be motivated by race even if you don’t know it?,” http://video.msnbc.msn.com/mhp/52473401#52473401; “Why there’s no such thing is ‘reverse racism;” http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/07/15/884649/-Why-theres-no-such-thing-as-Reverse-Racism; Asraa Mustufa, “Study: Whites Think ‘Reverse Racism’ is on the Rise,” http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/05/study_on_white_perceptions_of_racism.html

9/5 – Racism

Readings: Ta-Nehisi Coates, “The Good, Racist People,” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/opinion/coates-the-good-racist-people.html?_r=0; Yirssi Bergman, “The Effects of Living In My Skin,” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yirssi-bergman/the-effects-of-living-in-_b_3679877.html; Richard Thompson Ford, “A primer on racism”; http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2009/09/a_primer_on_racism.html

9/10 – Colorblind Racism

Readings: Sally Lehrman, “Colorblind Racism,” http://www.alternet.org/story/16792; Larry Yu, “Color Blindness: The New Racism?,” http://www.iexaminer.org/editorial/color-blindness-racism/; Monica Williams, “Colorblind ideology is a form of racism,” http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/colorblind/201112/colorblind-ideology-is-form-racism

9/12 – Privilege

Readings: “Mirrors of Privilege,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAljja0vi2M&list=PL4C76907E1EA5907E; Robert Jensen, “White Privilege Shapes the U.S.” http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/whiteprivilege.htm; Peggy McIntosh, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”http://nymbp.org/reference/WhitePrivilege.pdf.

9/17 – Review

9/19 – Exam #1

9/26 — Privilege

Readings: Tim Wise, “On White Privilege,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Xe1kX7Wsc; Myisha Cherry, “Why privilege is so hard to give up,” http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/why_privilege_is_so_hard_to_give_up/?source=newsletter; Jamie Utt , “How To Talk To Someone About Privilege Who Doesn’t Know What That Is,” http://everydayfeminism.com/2012/12/how-to-talk-to-someone-about-privilege/; Esther Armah, “The Other National Conversation: White Privilege,” http://newblackman.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-other-national-conversation-white.html

9/28 – Living privilege

Readings: Phillip S. Smith, “Dorm Room Dealers: A Peek into the Drug World of the White and Upwardly Mobile” http://www.alternet.org/drugs/145042/dorm_room_dealers:_a_peek_into_the_drug_world_of_the_white_and_upwardly_mobile_/; Nicholas Peart, “Why Is the N.Y.P.D. After Me?” www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/opinion/sunday/young-black-and-frisked-by-the-nypd.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all; Eric Liu, “Trayvon Martin and Making Whiteness Visible,” http://ideas.time.com/2013/07/17/trayvon-martin-and-making-whiteness-visible/;

10/1 – Stereotypes

Readings: Roland Martin, “A Fight for Trayvon is a fight against Stereotypes,” http://rolandmartinreports.com/blog/2012/03/roland-s-martin-a-fight-for-trayvon-is-a-war-against-stereotypes/; John Cloud, “How Stereotypes Defeat the Stereotyped” http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1900261,00.html Claude Steele, “Thin Ice: Stereotype Threat and Black College Students, http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1999/08/thin-ice-stereotype-threat-and-black-college-students/4663/; James Gone, “NCAA rightly tells schools to retire Indian mascots, symbols,” http://progressive.org/media_mpga1805

10/3 – Living Stereotypes

Reading: Black stereotype college parties spark outrage, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16912374/ns/us_news-life/t/black-stereotype-college-parties-spark-outrage/#.TvkPB0ozL8A; Emanuella Grinberg, ‘We’re a culture, not a costume’ this Halloween, http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/26/living/halloween-ethnic-costumes/index.html; Brittney Cooper, “The N-Word on the 4^th of July,” http://www.salon.com/2013/07/04/the_n_word_on_the_4th_of_july/; “Twitter Goes Ballistic About Mexican American Boy Singing National Anthem at NBA Finals,” http://www.latinorebels.com/2013/06/12/twitter-goes-ballistic-about-mexican-american-boy-singing-national-anthem-at-nba-finals/

10/8 – What does Justice in the Restaurant Industry look like?

Reading: Jayaraman, #1 & 2

10/10 – Health Issues

Reading: Jayaraman, #3

10/15 – Poverty on the plate

Reading: Jayaraman, #4

10/17 – Racism

Reading: Jayaraman, #5

10/22 – Sexism

Reading: Jayaraman, #6

10/24 – “Seeds of Change”

Reading: Jayaraman, #7

10/29 – Review

10/31 – No class

11/5 – Exam #2

11/7 – Caste Systems

Reading: Alexander Introduction and #1

Film:

11/12 – Mass Incarceration

Reading: Alexander #2

Film:

11/14 – The Color of (IN)justice

Reading: Alexander #3

11/19 – Communal Devastation

Reading: Alexander #4

11/21 – No Class

12/3 – “New Jim Crow”

Reading: Alexander #5-6

12/5 – Review

Final Exam – December 12, 2013 from 10:10-12:10

This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances and shifts in class needs. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made in your absence.
This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances and shifts in class needs. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made in your absence.

Course Policies

To be successful in this class you must read prior to arrival to class; you need to be prepared each and every day. We will discuss and I will lecture on many of the topics, yet to be successful in participation and on the exams, you need to read.

The following are unwelcome and unacceptable within this class. Doing work for other classes, reading newspapers, sleeping, and using phone during class will result in an absence for that day.
Sleeping, daydreaming or otherwise tuning out during class
Habitual tardiness. If you are late, you MUST SIT IN THE FIRST ROW AND SPEAK WITH ME AT THE CONCLUSION OF CLASS. If you arrive after 15 minutes, this will count out 1/2 of an absence
Packing up your notebook and other materials prior to the end of class
Reading the newspaper, another book, or otherwise focusing on something other than class
Chatting to classmates
Getting up during class because you feel thirty or hungry.
Leaving class early

2. Turn cell phones off upon arrival to class – Absolutely no texting or phone calls DURING CLASS. Please note that if I see your cell phone/other handheld device (not if it rings) whether because you’ve decided to text message, check scores, show a friend a picture or listen to messages, you will be marked absence for the day

3. Computer usage within class is strictly forbidden except in specific circumstances (disability accommodation) and with permission from instructor. In other words, no laptop/iPad/tablet/ETC. to take notes in class. Please take notes by hand. Those with disabilities for whom hand note taking is difficult or impossible, please alert me in writing at the beginning of the course and feel free to use electronic aids.

Netiquette[2]

I expect you to observe the following proprieties in your email messages, as you would with any professional colleague:

Emails must have a specific salutation: “Dear Dr. Leonard/,” “Dear Professor Leonard/,” or “Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening Professor Leonard/” are all appropriate.” “Hi,” “Hey,” “Mr. Leonard” or no salutation is an incorrect and inappropriate way to begin an email to me.
Emails must be sent from your WSU account, unless an emergency requires you to use an alternate account. If you send from an alternate account, please follow up with me if you do not hear from me within 24 hours.
Emails must close with a signature (“Sincerely,” “Thank you,” etc.)
Emails should be grammatically correct, clear, and concise.
Emails should not be sent to request info you can get elsewhere with minimal effort (i.e., my office hours, office location, phone number, due dates, location of the library, etc. All these are listed either on tumblr or the syllabus. I may or may not respond to such emails.)
Assume that your response will come within 24 hours; if it hasn’t come by then, do feel free to remind me of your message.
DO NOT USE all CAPS
If you have a complaint or concern about something, you should always come to see me about it in person. Email is not an appropriate forum for anything important enough to be dealt with in an extended conversation, or for a discussion in which email, because it can’t convey tone, might allow for misinterpretation.
Please don’t email me to ask if I will be in office hours. Unless I have specifically stated in class that I won’t be there, I will always be available during office hours on a drop-in basis or by appointment.

Course Expectations

Despite the size of the class, it is my hope that this class is a lively educational space defined

by interaction, discussions, and critical thinking. That being said, this class is one of lecture and one where critical discussions, engagement, and activities will emanate from the lectures. It is important to take notes and engage in these conversations. It is important to produce a classroom that is open, respectful, and trusting. Following the above rules will contribute to a productive educational environment; of equal importance will be the respect shown for th3 class, its members, and the ideas discussed therein. As such, it is crucial that we adhere to certain guidelines.

Be respectful of others, in terms of engaging and listening to lectures, peer comments, and other course materials.
Listen and listen
Reflect on social location and work to understand alternative arguments, analysis, and narratives, as well as anger.

Acknowledge that racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, and other institutionalized forms of oppression exist.
Acknowledge that one mechanism of institutionalized racism, classism, sexist, heterosexism, etc. is that we are all systematically taught misinformation about our own group and about members of other groups. This is true for members of privileged and oppressed groups.
Read in an engaged way, recognizing the ideology and politics imbedded in every text. Make notes in the margins – “dialogue” with the text, using exclamation points, questions or issue complete statements, questions or critiques. Ask yourself: what is significant in this piece, what elicits anger/sadness/laughter, but go beyond emotional responses to be prepared to make specific statements about the reading!
Be aware of your own subject position, ideologies, privileges and prejudices. Recognize your own relationship to institutions of power and structures of domination. This can help you make specific connections to the reading, class discussions and other forms of feedback. Rather than proclaiming, “This article sucks,” or “You are wrong,” you can get more specific about the basis and origins of your reaction. For example, rather then engaging in a discussion about homosexuality with statements of disgust and contempt, it might be better to state: “From my position as a white male, who was raised with the teachings of the Bible, I find homosexuality a bit troubling, especially in the context of the arguments made by ________ on page ____.”
Agree to combat actively the myths and stereotypes about your own “group” and other groups so that we can break down the walls that prohibit group cooperation and group gain. Read and listen with recognition of other people’s subject position and ideologies. LISTEN TO OTHERS!
Reflect on our choice of language in and outside of class, striving to rid our vocabulary of racist, sexist, homophobic words, phrases. Recognize that your choice of words reflect your own ideological position and may bother others (think about how others may react to your words – not just content, but the way we chose to express those thoughts)
Create a safe atmosphere for open discussion. If members of the class may wish to make comments that they do no want repeated outside the classroom, they can preface their remarks with a request that the class agree not to repeat the remarks. Also, think about your language (including body language), posture, etc. contributes to safe/empowering or disempowering/unsafe learning environment.
Take Risks: I want this class to be a space where everyone should feel comfortable enough to disagree with each other. This needs to be safe space so reflect on the ways you engage others with your own pronouncements and how you react (with words, body language) to their statements – react privilege and positionality
Read and dialogue in a politically engaged way. Racial Dynamics, for our purposes here, reflects power, and relationship to systems/sources of power. Power dynamics are contextual (situational) and relational. You may have power in some spaces and lack it in others, all depending on social location. Ask yourself these questions while reading and discussing within the classroom space: Is the analysis leaving anyone relevant out? For what reasons? Where is this analysis coming from? Whose knowledge base is being explored or forwarded?
Speak with evidence and “facts” on your side. Despite the popular pronouncements that there are no wrong answers, there are incomplete, problematic, superficial, surfaced, and unsubstantiated answers. Reflect on your own answers and the basis of your conclusions
Go beyond an either/or dichotomy. Incorporate a both/and approach rather than an “either/or.”
Recognize the knowledge base of your peers. Its ok – recommended and great, in fact – to respond to a counterpoint with “hey, I’ve never thought of it that way,” or “well, you do make a good point – I’ll have to think about that for a while.” Discussion in this class isn’t about proving, embarrassing, showing off, winning, losing, convincing, holding one’s argument to the bitter end – its about dialogue, debate and self-reflections.

Cheating

DON’T DO IT! What constitutes cheating: Turning in any work that is not yours and yours completely, which includes using a “cheat sheet,” copying the answers from a peer, copying and pasting from a website, copying a friend’s work, etc. If someone else said it, wrote it, thought it, etc. give them credit – DON’T STEAL THE INTELLECTUAL WORK OF OTHERS. For more information, please see the Standards for Student Conduct WAC 504-26-010 (3). Your failure to follow these basic instructions, to respect the classroom, to take the easy route, to be in the business of pretending to learn, think, analyze, and otherwise be a student, is not acceptable in any regard. What this means is that if you cheat, you will receive a “0” for that assignment and you will be reported to the Office of the Dean of Students. Any decision to violate the sanctity and purpose of the classroom leaves me with little choice in this regard. If you are unfamiliar with WSU policy regarding cheating and confused as to what constitutes cheating (plagiarism), please consult the Standards for Student Conduct found here: http://conduct.wsu.edu

Students with Disabilities

Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. If you have a disability and need accommodations to fully participate in this class, please either visit or call the Access Center. (Washington Building 217; 509-335-3417) to schedule an appointment with an Access Advisor. All accommodations MUST be approved through the Access Center. For more information contact a Disability Specialist on your home campus: 509-335-3417 http://accesscenter.wsu.edu, Access.Center@wsu.edu

Emergency Notification System:[3]

Washington State University is committed to enhancing the safety of the students, faculty, staff, and visitors. It is highly recommended that you review the Campus Safety Plan (http://safetyplan.wsu.edu/) and visit the Office of Emergency Management web site (http://oem.wsu.edu/) for a comprehensive listing of university policies, procedures, statistics, and information related to campus safety, emergency management, and the health and welfare of the campus community.”

Primary Learning Outcomes

LEARNING OUTCOMES, CLASS SESSIONS, AND COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:

At the end of this course, students should be able to:		Course topics (& dates) that advance these learning goals:	This objective will assessed primarily by
LG1	To understand the ways in which race matters

WSU Learning Goals:

Diversity