Why does educational inequality persist in the United States, and how does schooling reflect, and shape, broader patterns of social inequality? This course explores the sociology of education with a special focus on the relationship between race, education, and American society. Much of the course will examine the historical and contemporary educational experiences of Native Americans and Black Americans. We begin by examining the philosophical origins of American education and the ways in which historical struggles over race have produced enduring inequalities. We then turn to contemporary research, analyzing how inequality emerges and compounds over time. Along the way, we will consider how schools both challenge and reproduce broader social hierarchies, as well as how educational opportunities and barriers shape life chances.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course directs students toward a broad Orienting Question:
• How do I understand human experiences and connections?
Completion of this course enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome:
• Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course will help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
• Intercultural Competence
• Perspective-Taking
• Persuasion