Course Syllabus
Welcome to AFAM 409: Racial and Ethnic Inequality in America
Overview
| CATEGORY | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| Credits | 3 |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Delivery | Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com) |
| Dates | See the Calendar. |
| Instructor | See the Orientation module under the Modules tab. |
Description
This course examines racial and ethnic inequality in the United States and patterns of cultural, racial, and socioeconomic assimilation among different ethnic and racial groups, with a particular emphasis on African Americans and non-Black people of color. This course is anchored in a study of six theories of assimilation: 1) Marginal Man/Melting Pot (Park); 2) Anglo-conformity (Gordon); 3) Internal Colonialism (Ture and Hamilton); 4) Panethnicity (Lopez and Espiritu); 5) Latin Americanization of Race (Bonilla-Silva and Embrick); and 6) Black/non-Black Divide (Warren and Twine and Yancey). The study of these six theories direct the structure for this course, as noted in the 'Organization' section below.
Objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- discuss some of the historical and current racial discrimination against African Americans and non-Black people of color
- describe and analyze sociological paradigms of cultural, racial, and socioeconomic assimilation
- discuss the social and political contexts from which assimilation paradigms and debates emerge
- discuss sociological concepts and data regarding racial and ethnic inequality
- describe and analyze challenges to assimilation offered by scholars, advocates, and political organizers
Organization
This course is divided into six modules. Each module covers a particular assimilation theory. Typically each theory will be investigated as a two lesson process in four stages.
In the first theory lesson of a module you will complete a central theoretical reading (in the case of the sixth theory module, you will read two central theoretical readings) and work, on your own, to answer the questions on the theory assignment. These theory assignments will help you prepare for the theory quizzes and for the midterm and final exam. You will also be expected to submit written assignments for at least two out of the six theory writing assignments.
In the second theory lesson of a module you will view accompanying videos and/or complete accompanying readings that extend or critically engage the ideas and themes of the theory; and take a theory quiz, consisting of five questions based on (but not necessarily written verbatim) the questions for the corresponding theory assignment.
Online Learning and Attendance
This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.)
This course operates with the expectation that students are keeping up with all of the material per the schedule. To this end, you should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.
Materials
All course materials are provided to you.
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Course Reserves
There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please use the Library Resources link in the course navigation menu.
For any questions you may have about searching, viewing, or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the Viewing/Printing Electronic Reserves page at https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/reserves/usingreserves.html.
Other online readings are available on the lesson overview pages.
Grading
Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.
Scale
| LETTER GRADE |
MINIMUM PERCENT |
MINIMUM POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93 | 488 |
| A- | 90 | 473 |
| B+ | 87 | 457 |
| B | 83 | 436 |
| B- | 80 | 420 |
| C+ | 77 | 404 |
| C | 70 | 368 |
| D | 60 | 315 |
| F | Below 60 | 314 and less |
Due Dates
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the date indicated on the Calendar and applies to all students, regardless of which time zone they are in. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. There is a built in flexibility in terms of due dates and the number of assignments required for grading and it is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All modifications to the syllabus, including changes to the class schedule, extensions, and make-up work, are at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Notes
- To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.
- Late Assignments: Late assignments will not be accepted unless arrangements have been made in advance at the discretions of the instructor.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.
You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within one week of their due date.
| ASSIGNMENT GROUP |
POINTS |
|---|---|
| R.A.C.E. Forums | 100 PTS (4 at 25 PTS EACH) |
| Theory Assignments | 100 PTS (2 at 50 PTS EACH) |
| Theory Quizzes | 75 PTS (3 at 25 PTS EACH) |
| Midterm Exam | 125 PTS |
| Final Exam | 125 PTS |
| Total | 525 |
R.A.C.E. Forums [Discussions]
Value: 4 x 25, 100 PTS total
Recap And Clarification Enquiry Forums serve as our class participation, similar to how you would engage other classmates about material in a residential course. It is not simply answering a series of questions but rather using the questions to generate discussions with your classmates while working towards developing an understanding of the material. In these R.A.C.E. forums you are encouraged to ask questions, respond to other students, and engage respectfully in sometimes difficult discussions. Since we are a virtual class it is important for us to have conversation space that is respectful, open, and dynamic.
There are six R.A.C.E. forums, one for each theory module. While each module has a R.A.C.E. forum, the forum will appear at the end of each lesson in the module. For example, you will see the L02/L03 R.A.C.E. forum at the end of both lessons two and 3. Despite the forum appearing at the end of each lesson in the module, there is only one forum in the module. Your posts in each lesson all go to the one discussion forum for that module.
R.A.C.E. forums are where you can post, reply, and read responses to the questions about accompanying readings and videos, as provided in the overview for each lesson as well as post thoughts or questions about the assignments.
The questions from the overview are presented thematically on different pages of a lesson and at the end of these pages you can link to the lesson R.A.C.E. Forum to share your thoughts. Because several pages within a module will direct you to the lesson's R.A.C.E. forum, it is helpful for the class and professor to please give the title of the Canvas page; the reading; or video you are discussing as the title of your post.
It is an opportunity for us to talk about the course materials and for you to clarify any questions you might have about the content we've read - or to ask questions that the readings may have brought to mind for you. Your instructor will monitor this forum and at times respond. However, while you are there, please feel free to post your own responses if you able to help out another student.
Note: all forums are set to 'post-first' meaning that you will be unable to view the content of a forum until you have contributed a post to the forum.
R.A.C.E. forums are also graded in terms of participation, which can involve making posts and replying to posts from other student's, whether their original posts or their comment in response to another post. You are expected to post frequently (both original posts and responses to your classmates), draw from class material, and discuss more than one source from class. You must complete 4 forums but are welcome to complete more and have the lowest forum score(s) dropped during final grading. For example, if you complete 5 forums, you will have your lowest score out of the 5 dropped during final grading, and so forth. Please note that non-participation in a forum counts as a grade of 0 and lowest forum scores can include non-participation grades of 0. Detailed information of how participation in the forums is assessed is described in the assignment rubric, which is available with each forum. You are encouraged to read this rubric before posting.
To meet the expectations per the rubric, you are strongly encouraged to post your initial post at the beginning of the forum cycle and check in regularly. Waiting until the last minute to post does not give a lot of time for you to post, for others to respond to you, and for you to provide much depth in your original posts or responses.
Theory Assignments
Value: 2 x 50 PTS, 100 PTS total
Theory assignments involve writing short responses to a set of questions - no more than one to two paragraphs - for each question per theory assignment. You are not writing an essay so there is no need to write a thesis statement or to combine all of your responses. You are required to draw from the theory article being asked about. You are not expected to use outside material and drawing from outside material does not guarantee a higher grade and cannot substitute for answering the questions about the assigned theory readings.
There are six theory assignments with the questions serving as a foundation to anchor your understanding of the theories.You are required to submit at least two by the corresponding deadlines to meet the theory assignment requirement. You may select which two theory assignments you want to submit by their deadlines for grading and may submit these two theory assignments at any time during the semester by the deadline for each. You may submit three theory assignments by their deadlines and have your lowest grade out of the three dropped. All assignments must be submitted via Canvas by the assigned deadlines. No more than three theory assignments will be graded for each student. In the event that you submit more than three theory assignments, only the first three will be graded.
All of the theory assignment question sets will be available to students at the beginning of the semester. These questions will remain available to students for the whole semester. See the Theory Question Sets document
To receive full credit (50 points each), you are expected to meet the guidelines for a complete response; please review the Theory Assignment document
Theory Quizzes
Value: 3 x 25 PTS, 75 PTS total
For each theory reading, there are quizzes that will be comprised of questions based on (but not necessarily verbatim) questions from the theory assignments, for a total of six quizzes during the semester. The quizzes are multiple choice and are each five questions, worth five points each (25 points total, per quiz). For each quiz, you will have a window to log in and take it, from Monday at 12 AM EST until Sunday at 11:59 PM EST. Once logged in, you will have 20 minutes to complete the quiz. The quizzes are open book and open note. At the end of each quiz you will see your responses and whether they are correct or incorrect. In the event of the latter, correct answers will not be provided. You are encouraged to use the results from your quizzes as indicators of your understanding of the theory in preparation for the exams and to review the material accordingly.
You are only required to take three quizzes but you are welcome to take all six so as to see the questions and use them as the basis to assess your understanding of the material. You must complete three quizzes but if you complete more than three the lowest quiz score(s) will dropped during final grading. For example, if you complete four quizzes, you will have your lowest score out of the four dropped during final grading, and so forth. Please note that not taking a quiz counts as a grade of 0 and lowest quiz scores can include this grade of 0 from not taking a quiz.
Midterm and Final Exam
Value: 2 X 125 PTS, 250 PTS total
Both the midterm and the final exam are multiple choice and worth 125 points each. The midterm covers the material of the first half of the semester and the final exam covers the second half; the final exam is not cumulative. Anything covered in the class, including all of the readings, lectures, and videos, may be asked about on the exams. Both exams are 25 questions, at 5 points each. The exams are open book and open note.
For the midterm, the window to log in to take the exam will be during Lesson 8, from 12 AM EST Monday until Sunday 11:59 PM EST. Once logged in, you will have two hours to complete the exam.
For the final exam, the window to log in to take the exam will be announced to the class. Once logged in, you will have two hours to complete the exam.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes (see G-9: Academic Integrity).
Unless your instructor tells you otherwise:
- Always include an in-text citation that includes the author(s) last name(s) and the year the source was published at the end of any sentence or below any image that includes words, images, or ideas you found in a source, always included quoted text within quotation marks, and always include a reference for any source at the end of your paper (ask your instructor about the format you should use).
- All of your graded coursework must be created by you without help from anyone in the course or otherwise. If you have questions about this, you should ask your instructor before submitting work for evaluation.
- All course materials you receive or access are protected by copyright laws. You may use course materials and make copies for your own use, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.
Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.
Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.
Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/.
Reporting a Bias Incident
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.
TEACH Act
The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
University Emergency Procedure
In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at https://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at https://news.psu.edu.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.
Syllabus Subject to Change
The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|