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YlianaHuidor
ProfessorLo
RaceandSocialJustice
9May2016

RACE&SOCIALJUSTICE
Syllabus
CourseDescription:
Thisyearlongcollegecourse,offeredtoundergraduateandgraduatestudents,willexaminethe
complexitiesofraceandsocialjusticebyfocusingonmarginalizedgroupsinAmericaandsocial
justice.Themarginalizationofagroupisa
processinwhichindividuals/entirecommunitiesof
peoplearesystematicallyblockedfromordeniedfullaccesstovariousrights,opportunities,and
resourcesthatarenormallyavailabletomembersofadifferentgroup,mostnotablyWhite
people.Thisclasswillconcentrateonwhatitmeanstobeamarginalizedgroup,whois
classifiedasamarginalizedgroup,andwhytheyareclassifiedassuch.Wewillexplorethe
manywaysinwhichracism,sexism,stigmatization,discrimination,andevengenderprejudice
playsapartinthemarginalizationofagroup.Furthermore,wewillcriticallyanalyzethemany,
convolutedstrugglesthey[themarginalizedgroups]havehadtoandhavetofaceonadaily
basis.Additionally,thiscoursewillconsiderhowsocialjusticehasplayedapartinthepastand
howitcanfurthermakeadifferenceforthesemarginalizedgroupsinthefuture.Moreover,we
willdiscussthevariousreasonswhydocumentingandsharingthestrugglesoftheseseverely
impactedgroupsisimportantandhowitcanberevolutionaryfortheirfuturesasAmericans.
Lastly,wewillinvestigatethepossiblewaysthatthesegroupsandwe,asmembersofsociety,
canfindwaystocombattheinjustices.

ItisnodoubtthatinAmericansocietythereareaplethoraofgroupsthatcanbeclassifiedasa
marginalizedgroup.Itisalsoimportanttonote,thatnoneoftheseinflictedgroupsshouldgo
unnoticed,however,duetothetimeconstraintofthecoursethemarginalizedgroupswewill
focusonwillbeLGBTQ+,women,peopleofcolor,thelowerclass/povertystrickenpeople,the
physicallychallenged,andthosesufferingfrommentalillness.


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Theintricatefocusoftheclass,whichismarginalizedgroups,requiresextensiveandcritical
reading.Therefore,duetothecomplexityoftheclass,youcanexpectatleast15hoursper
weekofhomework.
LearningObjectives:
1.
CriticalThinking
Studentswilllearnhowtoutilizedifferentmethodsofanalyzationinordertoinvestigateand
solvethecomplexchallengesthatwillbepresentedtotheminthecontextoftheclassandthe
literaturetheywillread.Thiswillhelpstudentsbecomemoreactiveandmotivatedlearnersand
readers.
2.
Communication
Studentswillimprovetheircommunicationskillsbylearninghowtoeffectivelyconveytheir
thoughtsverballythroughindepthclassdiscussionsandthroughwriting.
3.
AppreciationofDiversityofHumanExperience
Studentswillstrengthentheirunderstandingandknowledgeoftheramificationsthatarewithin
theuniquehumanexperience.Theywilldosobystudyingthevariouswaysinwhich
marginalizationhasshapedthehumanexperienceoftheseaffectedandtargetedgroups.
4.
UnderstandingMarginalizedGroupsandDissectingtheIndividualStruggle
Studentswillbeabletocomprehendwhoisclassifiedasamarginalizedgroupandwhy.They
willbeabletofurtherdelveintothesegroupstotrytounderstandthedifficulties(suchasracism
andotherformsofinequality)thesegroupscontinuouslyencounter.Furthermore,studentswill
beabletodissecttheindividual'sstrugglethroughthelensofthosebeingmarginalizedinorder
toinvokeempathy.
5.
ExploringSocialJustice:WhatitMeansandHowitCanMakeaDifference
Studentswilllearnwhatsocialjusticemeansforeachmarginalizedgroupthatweexamine.By
dissectingthisterm(socialjustice)studentswilllearnhowitcanbeusedtomakeadifference
foreachgroupandmoreover,whatjusticemeanstoeachgroup.
6.
SocialResponsibilityandAwareness:WhyitisImportant
Studentswilllearntheimpactaswellasthevalueofindividualsandtheywillrealizehowtheir
individualchoicecandirectlymakeanimpactonsociety.Bycriticallystudyingthepresented
marginalizedgroupstheywilllearntheimportanceofbeingawareandthesignificanceof
spreadingawarenessinordertomakeapositivechange.


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RequiredTexts
TaNehisiCoates
,
BetweentheWorldandMe
ElynR.Saks,
TheCenterCannotHold:MyJourneyThroughMadness
StephanieTorreno
,
KeepingMyBalance:AMemoirofDisabilityandDetermination
BarbaraEhrenreich,
NickelandDimed:On(Not)GettingByinAmerica
RoxanneDunbarOrtiz,
AnIndigenousPeoples'HistoryoftheUnitedStates(ReVisioning
AmericanHistory)
RationaleForText/FilmSelection
1.
WeWereHere
:Thisdocumentaryfocusesonthe
arrivalandimpactofAIDSinSan
Franciscoandhowitlargelyandseverelyaffectedthegaycommunity.Thisfilmhasbeen
includedinthecoursebecausethegaycommunityhasalwaysbeenmarginalizedinsocietyand
thisfilmexploressomeofthemainrootsofthatmarginalization.WhentheAIDSepidemichit,
themajorityofthegaycommunitywasevenfurtherisolatedandtherewasverylittleeffortmade
togettreatmentorevensocialawareness.Infact,therewasalargeefforttokeepthediseasea
secretconsequentlycreatinganatmosphereofneglectandinjusticeforthegaycommunity.The
gaycommunitywassystematicallyblockedoutofsocietyandtreatedunfairlywithhomophobia.
Moreover,theywereevenmoreunsafenotonlyduetotheanimosityofsocietybutalsothe
calamitous,deadlydisease.Withthisfilmwewilldiscussallthewaysinwhichthegay
communityhasbeenandismarginalizedinthecontextofthefilmandalsoinpresentday
society.Wewillalsoanalyzehowsocialjusticehasandcancontinuetomakeadifferencefor
thisgroup.

2.
TheK12Binary
:Thisarticlereallyfocusesonthecontroversialissuesofhowgenderis
interpretedbymanyandattemptstoexplainhowgenderisnonbinary.Italsofocusesonthe
manystrugglesthattransgendersarefacingtodayinlightofthebathroomlawstakingplace.
WewillusethispiecetofurtherexploretheLGBTQ+groupandinvestigatethevariousways
theyarebeingmarginalizedinsocietytoday.Wewillalsoanalyzehowthewayyouidentify
yourselfcanhaveapersonalimpactandevenleadtomarginalization.

3.
MissRepresentation
:Thisdocumentaryshedslightonthewaysthatthemediacontributesto
theunderrepresentationofwomenaspowerfulandinfluentialfigures.Thisfilmisincluded
becausewewilllookatwomenasamarginalizedgroupandpayattentiontothemanywaysin
whichtheyaremarginalizedandhavetofaceinequality,sexism,misogyny,andobjectification.
Wewillalsoconsiderthewaysinwhichsocialjusticeandfeminismhasandcanplayapartin
ordertomakeapositivechangeforwomen.


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4.
BetweentheWorldandMe
:Thisnovel,by
TaNehisiCoates,
is
writtenasalettertothe
authorsteenagesonaboutthefeelings,symbolism,andrealitiesthatcomewithbeingblackin
theUnitedStates.CoatesalsoferventlydiscussesAmericaslong,brutalhistoryofviolence
againstBlacksandraisespoignantquestionsabouttherightsandinequalitiesthatBlackpeople
mustfaceinthe21stcentury.ThistexthasbeenincludedbecauseitisnosurprisethatAfrican
Americansarealarge,marginalizedgroupinsocietyandthuswewillexaminethemanyways
inwhichtheyhavebeenandarecontinuouslymarginalized.Wewillalsoexaminethewaysthat
thisgroupisusingsocialjusticeinattemptstofreethemselvesfromthemanyinequalitiesthey
face.

5.
AnOpenLettertomyInfantNephewFromtheSonofanImmigrant
:Inthisarticlethe
author,SergioCastillo,whoisthesonofanimmigrant,writesanopenlettertohisinfant
nephewabouthisfearforhimasaMexicanAmericaninAmericaswhitesupremacistsociety.
Heexpresseshisconcernsandanxietiesforhisnephewbecauseheknowsthathewillhaveto
trytoprosperinasocietythatviewshislifeasdisposableandutterlyworthless.Thisarticlehas
beenincludedbecauseMexicansinAmericaareanothersignificantmarginalizedgroupwhoare
constantlydeniedtheirrightsandnotpresentedwiththesameopportunitiesaswhitesociety.
Wewillalsoconferthewaysinwhichsocialjusticehasandcanfurtherplayaroleforthisgroup.

6.
TheOtherSideofImmigration:
Thisdocumentarypositionsthequestionconcerningwhyso
manyMexicanscometotheU.S.andfurtherinvestigateswhathappenstothefamiliesand
communitiestheyleavebehindinordertoachievetheAmericanDream.Italsoexploresthe
racismandanimositythatimmigrantsexperienceoncetheyareintheU.S.Thisfilmhasbeen
selectedbecausewewillanalyzehowMexicanimmigrantsaresociallyexcluded(or
marginalized)andconnectthetreatmentofMexicanimmigrantstootherimmigrantsfromother
countrieswhocometotheU.S.Wewillalsoquestionthesocialjusticeatplayandtheimpactit
hasandismaking.

7.
TheCenterCannotHold:MyJourneyThroughMadness:
ThismemoirtellsthestoryofElyn
R.Saksandherlifelongstrugglewithschizophrenia.Thistextwasincludedbecausethe
mentallyillarealargegroupwhohavehistoricallybeenmarginalizedinsociety.Thementallyill
havealonghistoryofmaltreatmentinhospitalsandaremercilesslyandverydamagingly
stigmatizedinsociety.Wewilldelveintotheplethoraofwaysthementallyillaremarginalizedin
societyandexaminethewaysinwhichsocialjusticecanhelpraisetheawarenessneededfor
thisgroup.

8.
KeepingMyBalance:AMemoirofDisabilityandDetermination:
Thismemoir
chronicles
author,
StephanieTorrenos,
experiencesgrowingupwithaphysicaldisability.Shediscusses
thediscriminationandisolationshefeltgrowingupwithaphysicaldisabilityanddocumentsher
survivalandroadtoacceptance.Thistexthasbeenselectedbecausethephysicallydisabled
areanotherhugemarginalizedgroupinsocietyandthuswewillexplorethemanywaysin
whichmarginalizationhasaffectedthisgroupandhowtheyarefightingforsocialjustice,
acceptance,andfairtreatment.


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9.
NickelandDimed:On(Not)GettingByinAmerica:
Thisbookdiscussestheissuesof
lowincome,povertystrickenfamiliesandtouchesontheseveraldilemmasthatmanylower
classAmericansmustface.Thisbookhasbeenselectedbecausepovertystrickenfamilies
havecontinuouslybeenmarginalizedinsocietyandyettheymakeupasignificantportionofthe
population.Wewillfocusonthemaltreatmentoftheselowincomefamiliesandthestrenuous,
dauntingtaskstheymustenduretobarelymakeit.Lastly,wewillresearchthewaysthatsocial
justicecanhelpthisstrugglinggroup.

10.
AnIndigenousPeoples'HistoryoftheUnitedStates(ReVisioningAmericanHistory)
:This
novelrecountsthehistoryofAmericafromtheperspectiveofNativeAmericansandrevealshow
NativeAmericans,forcenturies,haveactivelyresistedexpansionoftheUSempireandtheir
lifelonghistoryofracism,maltreatment,exclusion,andpoverty.Thisnovelhasbeenincluded
becauseNativeAmericanshaveendlesslybeenmarginalizedinAmericaandarestillheavily
impactedbytheiralmostneverendinghistoryofinjustice.Wewilllookatthemanymethodsof
marginalizationthathavebeeninflicteduponthisdeeplyaffectedgroupandwewillalsobriefly
studythesocialjusticeeffortsthathaveandaretakingplaceinordertofinallyreceivejustice.

Assignments
Assignment#1:IntroductionPaper(34pages,MLAformat)
Thisassignmentwillserveasawayformetogettoknowyou.Furthermore,itwillhelpyou
achieveourclasslearninggoalsofCommunication,asyouwillbeaskedtocommunicateyour
thoughtsthroughwriting,andCriticalThinking,sinceyouwillbeaskedtothinkinareflective
andintensivemannerinordertoconveyyourpoints.Inthispaperpleaseconsiderthefollowing:

Whoareyou:whatareyoustudying/majoringinandwhy,whatis/areyourcareer
plan(s),whatdoyouliketodooutsideofclass,etc.?
Whydidyouchoosethiscourse?
Whatdoyouexpecttolearnfromthiscourse?
Howdoyouthinkthatthisclasscanhelpmakeanimpactonyourlifeandpotentiallyat
PSU?

Assignment#2:ResearchPaper(810pages,MLAformat)
Thisresearchpaperwillhaveyouexamineamarginalizedgroupinsociety.Itcanbeagroup
thatwehavediscussedinclassoronethatwehavenot.Whichevergroupyouselect,make
sureyouincludethefollowinginyourpaper:

Introducethegroup:explainwhotheyareandprovidethereaderwithabriefhistoryof
yourchosengroupinAmericansociety
Explaintothereaderhowthisgroupismarginalized
Providethereaderwithathoroughhistoryofthemarginalizationofthisgroup


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Howhasmarginalizationplaguedthisgroup?
Howhaveracism,sexism,discrimination,andvariousotherformsofinequalitycaused
marginalizationtoprosper?Dotheygohandinhand?
Howhassocietyensuredthatthesegroupsremainmarginalized?
Howcouldsocialjusticemakeadifference?Isthereanythingbeingdoneoranything
thatcanbedonetocombattheissues?

Makesuretoincludeatleast5outsidesourcesandtousepropercitation.Thispaperwillhelp
youtodemonstrateyourknowledgeofthematerialwehavelearnedbyencouragingyoutonot
onlyapplythatknowledgebutalsotodoadditional,comprehensiveresearchonthetopic.This
assignmentwillhelpyouachieveallsixlearningobjectives(RefertoPage2)asthispaperwill
requireyoutoincorporatethemintoyouroverallresearch.