POLITICAL SCIENCE
307.014/512.014 Professor Christine Sierra
Spring Semester 2002 Office Hrs: Mon. 2:00 - 3:00 pm
M 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm and Tuesday 10:00 am - 12 noon.
Office: Soc Sci Bldg. Rm. 2074
Phone:
277-1098/csierra@unm.edu
THE POLITICS OF ETHNIC GROUPS
Course
Description
This course
examines how race and ethnicity are woven into the fabric of American politics
and society. The focus for the course
involves the politics and experiences of specific groups: African Americans, Hispanics, American
Indians, and Asian Americans. Because
of time constraints, the course will not provide an in depth history and
analysis of the politics of each of these specific groups. Rather, key aspects of these groups'
experiences will be used to illustrate commonalities and differences among
them. Their experiences will serve to
illustrate theoretical concepts and themes generally applied to the study of
race and ethnicity.
Course
Requirements and Expectations
The
instructor will teach this course as a rigorous upperdivision course. Students should expect substantial reading
each week and a high level of exchange and discussion in class with the
professor. Students are expected to
complete the required reading during the week for which it is assigned. Student participation in class discussion is
encouraged (I will call on you), whereas class attendance is required for
adequate performance. Frequent absences
from class may lower your overall course grade.
Grading
Procedures
Course
grades will be based on the following:
1. Two
exams given during the semester. Exam #
1 is scheduled for Wednesday, September 29, 1999 and Exam #2 for November 3,
1999. These exams will consist of
objective questions (multiple choice and true/false) and essay questions. Each exam will be worth 30% of the course
grade.
2. A final exam (30% of course grade) will be
given on Wednesday, December 15th from 7:30 - 9:30 am. This exam will consist of short answer and
essay questions. It will be
comprehensive, but emphasize material covered in the last part of the course.
3. Class participation will count 10% towards
the course grade. Throughout the
semester, the instructor will ask students to report on a specific reading. Students should be prepared to make a 5-8
minute presentation on the assigned reading, outlining the major points of the
article and raising questions for class discussion. The instructor will evaluate your oral presentation for its
analytical clarity, comprehensiveness, and how well you understood the
reading.
In addition
to class presentations, your regular participation (or nonparticipation) in
class discussion -- quality as opposed to quantity -- will also be noted and
evaluated for the final course grade.
Keep in mind that especially in cases of "close calls," your
participation grade can result in the raising or lowering of your final
grade. In the end, regular class
attendance is expected from students so that we may have a rewarding and productive
class. Obviously, class participation
is contingent on your attending class on a consistent basis.
Required
Texts
Gordon H.
Chang, ed. Asian Americans and
Politics: Perspectives, Experiences, Prospects. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001.
(FCG) F.
Chris Garcia, ed. Pursuing
Power: Latinos and the Political System. University of Notre Dame Press, 1997.
(M&S)
Paula D. McClain and Joseph Stewart, Jr.
Can We All Get Along?: Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American
Politics. Third Edition. Westview Press, 2002.
Tali
Mendelberg. The Race Card: Campaign
Strategy, Implicit Messages, and the Norm of Equality. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press,
2001.
David E.
Wilkins. American Indian Politics
and the American Political System.
Lanham, MD: Rowman &
Littlefield Publishers, 2002.
CLASS SCHEDULE & ASSIGNMENTS
Week 1 January 14
Introduction
Race and Ethnicity in
American Life
Minority/Majority Status
Weeks 2, 3,
4 January 21& 28/February 4
The Political
(Non)Incorporation of Racial & Ethnic Groups:
Historical Background,
Constitutional & Legal Questions
The Construction of Race
& Ethnicity
The Role of the State
January 21: Martin
Luther King, Jr. National Holiday, No Class
Read, read, read
Week 3 For discussion on January 28
M&S, Ch. 1,
Timelines, pp. 203-234.
FCG, pp. 1-6.
Wilkins, “Note on Terminology,” pp. xix, Timeline, pp.
xxi-xxvii, Introduction, and Chapters 2
& 4
Chang, Ch. 1
Week 4 February 4
Continuation of Above
topics and readings
Social Movements &
Ethnic Identity
M&S, pp. 42-56.
Week 5 February 11
Race & Ethnicity in
American Life: A Contemporary Profile
M&S, Ch. 2 (27-41).
FCG, pp. 7-15.
DeSipio in FCG, pp. 314-342.
Chan in Chang, pp.
197-229.
Khagram, et al. In Chan,
pp. 258-284.
Wilkins, Ch. 1
Week 6 February 18
Demographics, continued.
Race & Ethnic
Identity
Skerry in FCG, pp.
16-30.
*Exam #1 in class
Week 7 February 25
Contemporary Ethnic
Politics: Political Participation
M&S, 59-85.
FCG, 31-43.
John Garcia in FCG, pp.
44-71.
Nakanishi in Chang, pp.
102-129.
Ong & Lee in Chang,
pp. 153-172.
Week 8 March 4
Political Participation
II
Political Mobilization:
Interest Groups and COs
M&S, pp. 99-104.
Wilkins, Ch. 8
Marquez in FCG, pp.
127-150.
Lien in Chang, pp.
173-193.
Hardy-Fanta in FCG, pp.
190-207.
Pardo in FCG, pp.
151-168.
Kiang in Chang, pp.
230-257.
Week 9: March 11
Spring Break/No Class
Read, read, and read
Week 10 March 18
Structuring Politics:
Indian Politics
Wilkins, Chs. 3,5,6
Structuring Politics:
Electoral Arrangements
Parties, Campaigns &
Elections
M&S, pp. 51-56.
De la Garza &
DeSipio in FCG, pp. 72-126.
Mendelberg, The Race
Card, Part 1 (pp. 3-107).
Week 11 March 25
Politics and the Media
Mendelberg, The Race
Card, Part 2, Chs. 4-6, 9-10.
(Suggested Chs. 7&8)
Yu and Yuan in Chang,
pp. 354-366.
Wilkins, Ch. 9
Week 12: April 1
Contemporary Elections
M&S, pp. 86-99.
Cho & Cain in Chang,
pp. 133-152.
Wu & Youngberg in
Chang, pp. 311-353.
Watanabe in Chang, pp.
367-382.
Exam #2 (no foolin’)
Week 13 April 8
Redistricting and
Representation
FCG, pp. 227-233.
Vigil in FCG, pp.
234-264.
Saito in Chang, pp.
383-408.
Week 14 April 15
Representation, cont’d.
M&S, Ch. 4,
pp.107-133 and Table 4.7.
Hero & Tolbert in
FCG, pp. 265-278.
Week 15: April 22
Contested Terrain: Big
City Politics
FCG, pp. 279-285.
M&S, Ch. 5
Regalado in FCG, pp.
169-189.
Park in Chang, pp.
285-307.
Kim in Chang, pp. 39-78.
Moreno in FCG, pp.
208-226.
Week 16: April 29
Ethnic Group Competition, Conflict, and Coalitions
Future Directions
M&S, Ch. 4, 133-152;
and Ch. 6.
FCG, pp. 427-435.
De la Garza in FCG, pp.
448-456.
Jennings in FCG, pp.
472-478.
Final Exam: Monday, May 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.