Over the course of four weeks, we will examine the social construction of race in the United States from the colonial period to the present. The lectures, readings, and personal and group exercises will analyze how capitalist interests, class differences, gender, immigration, and who “deserves” the full rights and privileges of citizenship, shape boundaries between and within racial and ethnic groups, and ultimately the racial hierarchy underpinning White domination. We will also consider how racism affects resource access inequities between racial and ethnic groups in education, criminal justice, media, and other domains.

This course might be for you if:
• You're asking yourself: how can I better understand the current context of racism in America?
• You are looking for a group-setting in which to ask questions and learn more
• You have read a few books, but still have lots of questions about American history and capitalism

Angela is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Barnard College-Columbia University. Her research examines how legacy and contemporary market and government processes in metropolitan areas shape racial inequality, with particular focus on the suburban Black middle class. She also has extensive public policy experience. Before academia, Angela was a Presidential Management Fellow and legislative analyst for seven years at the Office of Management and Budget within the Executive Office of the U.S. President, serving in the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations. She completed her PhD in sociology at the University of Pennsylvania in May 2019. Angela also holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s in government from the College of William and Mary.