A study of the historical, philosophical, social, and political treatments and interpretation of blacks and women in the United States. Selected topics include media stereotypes of blacks and women, definitions and rationalizations of racism and sexism, the role that blacks and women have played in U.S. history, the relationship between the nineteenth-century abolitionist movement and the early feminist movement, the relationship between the 1960s civil rights movement, and the women's liberation movement.

The study of race and ethnicity is complex and its role in our everyday lives is continuously evolving. Through an examination of the relationship between minority and majority populations, students will apply a sociological perspective to the study of race and ethnicity, prejudice and discrimination, racism, intergroup relations, cultural diversity, and public policy. Students will evaluate race as a social construct grounded in culture, place, and time, how it differs from ethnicity, and why these distinctions matter. Students will also find a forum for examining possible solutions to ongoing racial and ethnic inequities. With knowledge and an understanding of the historic and ongoing experiences of many races and ethnicities, students will have the tools to excel as successful global citizens.