Race sociology

READ INSTRUCTIONS

Term Paper Guidelines

When we think of racism, many of us tend to think about things like racially bigoted individuals who use racial slurs and who discriminate against others because of the color of their skin. These are examples of interpersonal racism, which occurs between individuals and is fed by our ideas and stereotypes about people of different races. However, there is another type of racism which is particularly insidious and difficult to root out, and that’s structural racism. Structural racism is racial favoritism entrenched in our social structures, policies, and institutions (e.g., our political, legal, economic, cultural, and educational systems) that may create an intergenerational cycle of disadvantage for racial minorities. It affects racial minorities’ access to things like housing, education, the labor market, healthcare, environmental wellbeing, political participation, and criminal justice. Unlike interpersonal racism, structural racism occurs not because of racist attitudes or behaviors on the part of any individual person; in fact, it may occur in spite of individuals who are opposed to racism.

In what ways have you and your family been advantaged, or disadvantaged, by structural racism? Talk to your parents, grandparents, and/or other trusted older relatives (aunts, uncles, older siblings) about topics like applying for loans, home ownership, inheritance, education, labor market experiences, segregation, etc. After you have gathered this information from your family members, think carefully about how your family members’ racial/ethnic background has affected their life trajectories. For instance, do you think that your family has benefited from white privilege? How so? (For a refresher on white privilege, you may refer to the Peggy McIntosh reading on Blackboard.)

I want you to build your paper around an argumentative thesis statement and present a carefully reasoned argument, which you will support by using examples from your life and your family members’ lives. I also want you to provide at least two relevant references from our course readings that connect to your overall argument. Most importantly, though, I want to see you thinking critically about race and actively drawing connections between the concepts, theories, and patterns we’ve been discussing in class this semester and your and your family’s life experiences.

**Your paper should be based on interviews with at least 3 individuals. It should be 7-8 pages long, typed, double-spaced, Times or Times New Roman 12 point font, and should have standard one-inch margins all around. Please include in-text citations (e.g., Schaefer 2012: 38) and a separate list of references (which will not count towards the page total). Outside references are also acceptable, but not required. Staple your pages together. Put your identifying information (name, date, class) on a separate title page (which will also not count towards the page total).