This course seeks to break down the controversies surrounding Critical Race Theory. We begin by defining the many terms that have moved out of scholarly circles and into the headlines, social media, and school board and legislative debates: critical race theory/studies, structural racism, white supremacy, white privilege, anti-blackness, settler colonialism, racial hierarchy, Islamophobia, etc. We then dig more deeply into the research and evidence for structural racism, examining case studies on the criminal justice system, drug policies, mass incarceration, police violence, health, education, the environment, housing, the economy, and the job market. Lectures and readings will focus on racial inequality and its impact on African Americans, Latinx peoples, Asian Americans, Indigenous people, and Arab Americans in the US context, but international examples will be discussed as well.
Current Arizona K-12 educators, especially those who teach US history or race related topics, are invited to join this class as part of a special educator cohort. The educator cohort experiences will include additional teaching resources, a designated online discussion group, and an extra zoom session with Professor Roth-Gordon on Monday, November 18, from 6-8pm. This session will allow time to discuss the challenges of talking about race with students, how to address current events without bringing in one’s personal political views, and how to navigate the emotional responses introduced in discussions of race and racism. Current Arizona educators may apply for a full tuition scholarship and enroll in this course online here.
Watch the Course Promo Video and Read the Syllabus Here
Meet Your Professor
Jennifer Roth-Gordon is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona where she has taught racial and social justice classes to thousands of undergraduate and graduate students since 2004. Her first book, Race and the Brazilian Body: Blackness, Whiteness, and Everyday Language in Rio de Janeiro, interrogates racial inequality and common beliefs in the superiority of whiteness and has been taught in university classes around the country.
FREE for Current AZ Educators (Normal Course Fee: $165)
Learn More and Claim Your Scholarship at hsp.arizona.edu/great-books
Scholarship funds are limited. Scholarships awarded on a first come, first served basis.
— HYBRID COURSE FORMAT —
- All classes will be delivered on-campus, online via live video streaming, and asynchronously via video recording. Students will enroll in their preferred format during registration.
- On-Campus classes will be held in the Rubel Room at the University of Arizona’s Poetry Center (1508 E Helen St, Tucson, AZ 85721). Enrollment for in-person classes is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. All students enrolled to attend in person also have complete online access and may choose to attend one or all class sessions remotely if desired.
- Online students may attend all classes via live video streaming and will be able to participate in all course Q&A sessions with the professor in real time. A high-speed internet connection and a device capable of running Zoom are required to connect. Online access will be password-protected and only available to enrolled students.
- Class Recordings – All HSP classes are recorded and available for every enrolled student to watch for the duration of the course and one month after the last class session. This option is offered to aid students who cannot attend the live class times but desire to enroll and participate asynchronously. We hope this option also aids students who are traveling or have a necessary appointment that conflicts with a class session to stay connected and engaged with the course material.
- For questions regarding this resource, please contact Humanities Seminars Program.
- Contact Name: Micah Lunsford
- Phone No: 520-621-2492
- Email Address: hspstaff@arizona.edu