Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description
The Color of Justice
Instructor(s): Andrew Bozio, English
Why is racism such a durable force in the United States? Couldn鈥檛 we end it by simply refusing to see differences between people? In this course, we鈥檒l consider the limits of 鈥渃olorblindness鈥� by studying some of the structures that shape race in America, as well as their effects upon the lived experience of people of color. Reading works by James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Claudia Rankine alongside critical race theory, we鈥檒l first study different forms of racism and the way that race intersects with gender and sexuality. Turning to the history of housing segregation, we鈥檒l then consider the consequences of government policy for what has been called 鈥渢he racial wealth gap鈥� and ask if reparations could offer an answer to these injustices. Finally, we will turn to mass incarceration and its role in perpetuating racial inequality. Through this course, students will also learn to become a more critical readers and thinkers, to craft strong and compelling arguments, and to understand how different disciplines approach the topic of race.
Course Offered: