For Class on 2/2 (due 2/1 at 8pm): Race, Ethnicity, and Religion

This week we are primarily looking at the role of religion within the landscape of racial and ethnic politics in the United States. There are many who argue that religious minorities face the same challenges and have the same political opportunities as racial and ethnic minorities. While religious discrimination has existed in America at least as long as racial discrimination, it does not fit neatly into the discussion of racial or ethnic politics. Religion has clearly guided political decisions in this country at least as much, if not more, than race or ethnicity. However it remains heavily debated as to whether religious identification is merely as aspect of culture or one connected to and influenced by race and ethnicity.

Take a look at some interesting statistics regarding the breakdown of different religious groups in the United States from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (explore the site a bit), an interesting look at the role of religion in the 2016 election, and a 2015 snapshot detailing how Americans broadly feel about Islam and Muslims.

I would like to leave this blog post fairly open ended. To that end please respond to the questions below or more generally to the theme at hand and to the comments of your classmates.

1. Do religious minorities face the same political challenges that racial and ethnic minorities face?
2. What does your answer suggest about potential strategies that might be used by religious, ethnic, or racial minority groups in order to improve their political or social standing?

UPDATE: In light of the recent Executive Order passed by the Trump Administration severely restricting immigrants and refugees from a number of majority-Muslim nations feel free to include this into your discussion. Be sure to do some research on what the E. O. actually says, how the Trump administration is defending it, and the many critiques of the E.O. from massive protests, to members of congress, to leaders around the world. What do you think? Is this a religious test to enter the nation? Is this reasonable? What does this suggest about religion and America today?

For Class on 1/26 (Due 1/25 at 8pm): Obama and African American Politics

This week we are looking into the historical and contemporary issues related to African American politics including historical barriers, systematic opposition, efforts to gain power, representation in the American political system, and the role of the 2008, 2012, and 2016 elections for African Americans around the country (and people of color around the world). Although we will have another class specifically devoted to race and electoral politics, I would like you to specifically focus on the election of Obama for African Americans. 

You should browse this report from the Pew Research Center about the 2008 election voter turnout and how it has become continually more diverse over the past 20 years.

Also if you are interested here are the detailed exit polls from 2016, 2012,  2008, and 2004 if you would like to compare turnout by various groups, and an interesting snapshot of party identification of African Americans over time.

Take a look at this remarkable (though long) article that is assigned later in the course called My President Was Black (you will be ahead for your reading later in the course), about the affect of the Obama presidency for many African Americans.

Also you may want to explore thegrio.com a site organized around the African American perspective including many interesting articles and videos on American politics and president Obama.

Then I would like to discuss issues related to any the following questions: Has the Obama presidency affected African Americans in real or symbolic ways? Has his presidency affected Whites view of African Americans? Does the Obama election effect all non-White racial and ethnic groups in similar ways? What role did race play in the 2016 election?

For Class on 1/19 (due 1/18 at 8pm): Growing American Diversity

Last week's topic, the social and historical construction of race and ethnicity, brings to light the effect of time on the views, values, laws, and overall social stratification existing in American society and throughout American politics. What happens in the past shapes, in part, our perspectives and choices in the present. Over the course of the past two centuries the United states has become the most diverse nation on earth and Chicago, one of its most diverse (and segregated) cities. These trends are continuing as immigration and demographic data show that the white population in America is not growing at near the rate of other racial groups. After looking at the data from our readings this week, what do you think this growing diversity means for the U.S.? What does it mean for Chicago? What are the strengths and/or weaknesses and what does it mean in terms of American politics? While we will spend a great deal of time later in the course looking at electoral politics and representation, you might also want to comment on the role of changing diversity in the recent election results.

Just a reminder: try to limit your responses to one long or two short paragraphs, and make sure you proofread your comment before loading it. The questions are just a starting off point. You are not expected to answer all questions. Instead they are meant to prompt a discussion. Respond to both the questions and the comments of your classmates (hit reply after their comments to start threads whenever possible). If you have technical glitches please let me know, and I can always post a comment for you if needed.

For Class on 1/12 (due 1/11 at 8pm): Internalizing Social and Historical Constructions of Race and Ethnicity

Before shifting gears toward the interaction between race, ethnicity and politics on a more practical level I would like you to take a slightly different look at how we have internalized constructions and values associated with different groups. I would like you to take at least one Implicit Assessment Test (IAT) which will serve as a tool as to how we have or have not internalized socially constructed values about race and ethnicity.

The IAT tests have been designed by Project Implicit, which, according to the project website, "represents a collaborative research effort between researchers at Harvard University, the University of Virginia, and University of Washington. While the particular purposes of each study vary considerably, most studies available at Project Implicit examine thoughts and feelings that exist either outside of conscious awareness or outside of conscious control. The primary goals of Project Implicit are to provide a safe, secure, and well-designed virtual environment to investigate psychological issues and, at the same time, provide visitors and participants with an experience that is both educational and engaging."

You can find the tests by clicking on "I Wish to Proceed" at the bottom of this screen after reading the disclaimer. On the next screen I would like you to select the Skin Tone IAT which should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. Afterward, if you would like, feel free to take other IAT tests including a Race (Black-white) IAT, Native (Native-White American) IAT, Asian (Asian-European American IAT), and Arab-Muslim (Arab Muslim - Other) IAT.

I would like you to comment on your experience taking the test and your results. I want to be clear: this is NOT a test suggesting that you are or are not racist. It is designed to indicate internalized preferences regarding issues that are both sensitive and influenced greatly by social, cultural, historical, and institutional influences. I look forward to a thoughtful discussion about your experiences on Thursday.

For Class on 1/5: Self Reflection

This week (and throughout this course) we are beginning to look at how race and ethnicity is socially and historically constructed. In order to gain the most value from this course we also must examine ourselves in terms of how we conceptualize race and ethnicity and how these ideas and values have been constructed in each of our individual lives. That is your challenging task this week. As you read the assigned readings for this week think about your personal ideas regarding race and ethnicity and why you have these beliefs. Those ideas have been constructed throughout your life. Think critically about how you have personally constructed race and ethnicity by answering some or all of the following questions:

1. How do you identify yourself racially or ethnically (or what group(s) do you personally identify with)?
2. How has this affected your conception of race and ethnicity?
3. Who or what has affected your personal views about race and/or ethnicity (people, institutions, media, personal experiences, etc...)?
4. Why do you feel the way you do about various racial or ethnic groups?
5. How does politics impact race and ethnicity in America?

This first blog is different from those that will follow. For this week only I would like you to type a 1-2 page personal reflection blog that will be turned in to class on 1/5. You are NOT expected to post your blog entry online. Gaining a more critical understanding of what you feel and how you have developed these views will help us as we look at the social and historical construction of race and ethnicity across the country.

Following this week you will post your brief blogs online. Each should be one long or two short paragraphs only. The blog this week is required. After this week you must complete 7 more over the course of the quarter.

Welcome

Welcome to your Racial and Ethnic Politics poliblog experience! Each week you will be required to read the post for that week (which may include a news article, question, comment, controversial issue, etc.) and respond with your comments. Each of your comments should be no more than 1/2 page (approx. one long or two short paragraphs) and must be posted by 8:00 Wednesday night. You do not need to do any outside research in order to respond, just reflect on the topic of that week, the other comments posted on the blog, and make an argument presenting your views. You must post at least one comment on 8 different weeks (NOTE: you do not need to write a comment every week). But you MUST read the post and all comments either Wednesday night or Thursday before class each week. Enjoy the world of the racial and ethnic politics poliblog.