Student Learning Objectives
- Assess the growth and diversity of ethnic and racial groups in the United States
- Examine socio-historical materials about various racial/ethnic groups and their contributions to the development of U.S. society.
- Explain how concepts of race and ethnicity are socially and politically constituted and institutionalized.
- Appraise and debate sociological theories of inter-ethnic conflicts
- Analyze and articulate the concepts of prejudice, discrimination, ethno-centrism, eurocentrism, and white supremacy
- Evaluate historical and contemporary government policy and practice regarding racialized groups
- Examine critical events in the histories, cultures and intellectual traditions, with special focus on the lived-experiences, social struggles, agency and group-affirmation of the following four historically defined racialized core groups: Native Americans, African Americans, Latina/o Americans and Asian Americans.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Analyze and describe the socio-historical material on indigenous and immigrant ethnic groups in the United States.
- Apply sociological theories to the histories, cultures and intellectual traditions of the following racialized groups: Native Americans, African Americans, Latina/o Americans and Asian Americans
Instructions
The idea of the Frontier has played a crucial role in shaping American identity, often symbolizing opportunity, expansion, and progress. However, this mythic narrative overlooks the racial and class struggles that have defined the West. From Indigenous displacement to the exploitation of immigrant laborers and the persistence of economic inequality, the reality of the frontier is far more complex than the idealized version often portrayed in history.In a 2-3 page single-spaced essay (1,000-1,500 words), reflect on how the concept of the frontier has influenced racial and class dynamics in the American West. Your response should address the following questions and integrate evidence from the assigned readings, videos, and lecture videos in each portion of the assignment:- In what ways do we see racial and class hierarchies developing throughout the course content thus far?
- How has the idea of the frontier shaped both past and present national attitudes toward expansion, race, and economic opportunity?
- How did marginalized groups, such as Native Americans or Mexican Americans, experience and/or challenge frontier expansion?
Grading & Feedback
Here are the grading and feedback expectations for this assignment:
- Please indicate at the top of your paper or in a comment on Canvas if you would like feedback from me on your paper. I will give comments to you if you would like them, but you must indicate to me that you would like comments. If you do not indicate that you want comments, you will not receive comments (I will still give comments if you get an "incomplete" regarding how to resubmit to get a "complete" grade).