American studies

Race and Ethnicity in US History

Module code: V3029E
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Computer based exam

On this module, you’ll examine the history of race and ethnicity in the United States from 1865 to the present, tracing political, cultural and social developments.

You’ll examine how a wide range of racial and ethnic identities have been constructed in America and the ways race and ethnicity have affected Americans’ life experiences. You’ll examine the role of race and ethnicity in:

• politics
• education
• activism
• housing
• the criminal justice system.

You’ll consider the ways in which Americans have both challenged the role of race and ethnicity in society and have sought to maintain existing structures.

Module learning outcomes

• Initiate critical analysis of the history of race and ethnicity in the United States.
• Critically apply knowledge and understanding of the history of race and ethnicity in the United States, including effectively communicating this knowledge in written work.
• Evaluate key debates in the history of race and ethnicity in the United States, focusing on the second half of the 19th century, and the 20th and 21st centuries.
• Provide critical commentary on these debates in an informed way in written work.