INSTRUCTOR: Ted Swedenburg tsweden@comp.uark.edu
Class meetings: MWF 10:30-11:20, Old Main 329
Office: Old Main 338; hours MWF 9:00-10:30
Telephone 575-6624

REQUIRED TEXTS:

        Ralph Ellison. Invisible Man.
        Ruth Frankenberg. White Women, Race Matters.
        Liisa Malkki. Purity and Exile.
        Trevor Purcell. Banana Fallout.
        Anna Tsing. In the Realm of the Diamond Queen.
        Plus selected articles, on reserve in the Library and the Anthro Department reading room (Main 332).

Goals:

This course introduces some of the major social science theories of race and ethnicity, and a number of case studies of race and ethnicity, with particular attention to cross-cultural comparison.

Course Requirements:

        Critical Essays (6) ----------------------  120 points (20 points each)
        Book report ------------------------------   60 points
        Exams (3) -------------------------------- 180 points (60 points each)
        Participation ------------------------------  40 points
                                    Total                         400

        1. CRITICAL ESSAYS:
        6 short papers, approximately 1 typed page, based upon the key readings assigned for the previous 1-2 weeks. The purpose of these
        essays is to (a) encourage you to keep up with the readings, (b) develop a synthetic understanding of course materials, and raise issues for
        discussion that are pertinent to these materials. Topics of papers will be assigned by the instructor. Be sure that your papers do not simply
        repeat arguments or discussions brought up in class. (30% of grade)

        2. BOOK REPORT:
        One book report, on an ethnography dealing with race/ethnicity. To be chosen by the student, from a list of books supplied by the instructor.
        A handout will be passed out later. (15%)

        3. EXAMS:
        Three one-hour exams, essay format. (45%)

        4. PARTICIPATION: Participation in class discussion is expected and will be considered in assignment of final grades. Class lectures and
        discussions will cover material that supplements the readings, so please come to class-even if you are unprepared. KEEP UP WITH
        READINGS! (10%)

ALL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TYPED AND DOUBLE SPACED.

Writing Guidelines:

        All work written for this course should be of a level appropriate to college students. Mechanics and grammar DO count. Please type and
        proofread carefully. Everyone can improve their writing skills-even great writers.

SHORT GUIDE TO WRITING A STRONG ESSAY:

        Re-read frequently!

        Your goal is to develop an argument, which consists of the following components: a claim, reasoning to support that claim, evidence to
        support it, conclusion about the claim.
        · Try for a strong opening, the better to lure the reader.
        · Situate particular statements or points from the book within the author's overall argument. This serves to contextualize your focus (i.e., to avoid
        taking the arguments out of context).
        · Support your argument with some examples from the text (and other relevant materials) to illustrate what you mean to say.
        · Briefly identify the work(s) and author(s) under discussion within your text, so we'll know what you're addressing (underline or italicize Book
        Titles, put quotations around "Article Titles").
        · Locate quotations (give page number; if unclear from context, give author and title).
        · As a rule, put punctuation inside quotations: "xxxxx." "xxxx, " "xxxx?" "xxxxx" (p. x).
        · Do you make a point? Avoid leaving your readers in confusion, or in "so-what?" land.
        · Push your analysis and explore the implications of your argument (for anthropology, for everyday life, themes in the course, etc.).
        · Wrap up the end of your paper by tying it back to your starting point. This will confirm your thesis point, remind the reader of what you aimed to
        address, and show how far your argument has taken you.
        · Proofread your essay. Try having someone else read it aloud to you and listen for clarity, persuasiveness, awkward sentence structure or poor
        grammar, etc.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
Unexcused late assignments will automatically have 10% deducted from the grade, and must be turned in by the end of the week they were due. An additional 10% will be deducted each week thereafter.

Grading, attendance, etc.
Final grades will be determined on the basis of total points earned on short papers, exams, book report and active participation in class (see above). There will be no makeup exams. If a student needs to take a makeup, this will consist of a 15-page library research paper on a subject assigned by the instructor. Regular attendance is expected, and excessive absences may result in the student being dropped from class. I will make every effort to hold class in inclement weather.

Academic honesty:
Provisions of the Code of Conduct of the University (see pp. 599-616 of the 1998-89 University Catalog) will be followed in this course.

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SCHEDULE OF TOPICS, READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK 1 January 11-15 Black invisibility

        Film: Ethnic Notions
        R. Ellison: Invisible Man

        January 18 HOLIDAY!

 WEEK 2 January 20-22 Invisibility

        R. Ellison, Invisible Man

        Critical Essay 1 due, Friday Jan. 22

WK 3 January 25-29 Black/White

        M. di Leonardo, "White Lies, Black Myths" (xerox)
        S. Steinberg, "The Liberal Retreat from Race Since the Civil Rights Act" (xerox)
        V. Harris, "Prison of Color" (xerox)
        R. G. Kelley, "Confessions of a Nice Negro, or Why I Shaved My Head" (xerox)

        January 25: LAST DAY TO DROP A COURSE WITHOUT A MARK OF A W

WEEK 4 February 1-5 Race/Ethnicity

        A. D. Smith, "Structure and Persistence of Ethnie" (xerox)
        T. H. Eriksen, "Ethnicity, Race and Nation" (xerox)
        E. Tonkin et al, "History and Ethnicity" (xerox)
        M. Nash, "The Core Elements of Ethnicity" (xerox)

        Critical Essay 2 due, Friday Feb. 5

WEEK 5 February 8-12 Women & Whiteness

        D. Roediger, "Irish-Americans and White Racial Formation in the Antebellum US" (xerox)
        R. Frankenberg, White Women, Race Matters, 1-70

        EXAM Monday, Feb. 8

WEEK 6 February 15-19 Women & Whiteness

        R. Frankenberg, White Women, Race Matters, 71-190

        Critical Essay 3 due, Monday Feb. 15

WEEK 7 February 22-26 Women & Whiteness

        R. Frankenberg, White Women, Race Matters, 191-263
        F. Pfeil, "Sympathy for the Devils: Notes on Some White Guys... " (xerox)

WEEK 8 March 1-5 Race and Ethnicity in Costa Rica

        T. Purcell. Banana Fallout, x-88

WEEK 9 March 8-12 Race and Ethnicity in Costa Rica

        T. Purcell. Banana Fallout, 89-166

        Critical Essay 4 due, Monday March 8

March 13-21 SPRING BREAK!!

WEEK 10 March 22-26 Ethnicity, Nation, and Refugees

        M. Brown, "Causes and Implications of Ethnic Conflict" (xerox)
        L. Malkki, Purity and Exile, 1-104

        EXAM Monday, March 22

        March 26: LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM A COURSE WITH A W

WEEK 11 March 29-April 2 Ethnicity, Nation, and Refugees

        L. Malkki, Purity and Exile, 105-196

WEEK 12 April 5-9 Ethnicity, Nation, and Refugees

        L. Malkki, Purity and Exile, 197-297
        TBA

        Critical Essay 5 due, Friday, April 2

WEEK 13 April 12-16 Ethnicity on the Margins

        A. Tsing, In the Realm of the Diamond Queen, ix-103

WEEK 14 April 19-23 Ethnicity on the Margins II

        A. Tsing, In the Realm of the Diamond Queen, 104-205

        Critical Essay 6 due, Monday, April 19

WEEK 15 April 26-28 Ethnicity on the Margins III

        A. Tsing, In the Realm of the Diamond Queen, 209-301

        April 29 LAST DAY TO OFFICIALLY WITHDRAW FROM SPRING COURSES

        Book report due, Wednesday, April 28, in class
        NO LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED!

        ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE IN TODAY!
        (Check with instructor to see of you owe any assignments)
        NO EXCEPTIONS!

FINAL: Wednesday, May 7, 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 4