Faculty:
Hillard Pouncy, hpouncy@sas.upenn.edu
Daniel Romer, rdr@pobox.upenn.edu

Subject/Discipline: African-American Studies
School: University of Pennsylvania
Project Area:

Spring 1999

Office Hours: TBD

Course Description: This academically-based service-learning course examines intergroup tension in various Philadelphia settings, including neighborhoods, schools, college campuses, as well as the national political arena as it impacts urban and social policy. The major focus of the course is to study the discourse of racial and cultural relations as it influences intergroup tensions in urban settings. This approach is used both to diagnose sources of tension and to identify possible solutions. In the process, we explore contending theories of intergroup tension and use insights gained from these approaches to enrich our analysis of discourse.

The course also has a strong research component. Students will carry out a research project using either existing survey data or their own observations gathered in a local setting to diagnose the tensions found there and to propose potential solutions for those tensions. When appropriate, students may try an intervention to see if it reduces tension and increases intergroup cooperation. In previous terms, students have conducted research in various sites near and on campus. Reports from these projects will be available so that students can build on the findings of previous work.

Course Administration: The course is divided into three parts. In Part I (Weeks 1-8), we examine the major discursive practices that have shaped intergroup relations in the US. We use both current and past examples of this discourse as a basis for discussion and analysis. Students also form research teams to study tensions in the sites of their choice. At the end of this part, students will submit a mid-term paper that reviews the readings and any other literature relevant to their research project and that outlines the project's goals, methods and expected results.

In Part II (Weeks 9-13), student teams conduct their research while the class continues to explore sources of tension in various urban settings. We will also consider issues and questions that arise from student experiences in their research sites. In Part III (Weeks 14-15), research teams present their findings to the class.

Throughout the term, students will be asked to come prepared to discuss study questions based on the readings for the week. The final exam will be a paper written by each team that summarizes the findings of the research project and relates the findings to other material discussed in class.

Books Recommended for Purchase

Bulk pack of various selected readings, available at Campus Copy, 3907 Walnut St.

Course Topics

January 11	Part I: Organizational Discussion and Overview
January 18	Role of Discourse in Intergroup Tension
	Orlando Patterson: The Ordeal of Integration, 1997, pp. 15-82.
	Recent NY Times articles on race in America.
January 25	Ethnic Blame Discourse
	Teun van Dijk: Elite Discourse and Racism, 1993, Chapters 1 & 2.
	Dan Romer: Philadelphia Campaign to Promote Intergroup Cooperation, 1996.
February 1	Contrary Views About Current Tensions
	Lawrence Bobo: ``Group conflict, prejudice, and the paradox of contemporary racial attitudes," in Eliminating Racism, 1988, pp. 85-109.
	Donald R. Kinder & Lynn M. Sanders: Divided by Color: Racial Politics and Democratic Ideals, pp. 92-127.
February 8	Discourse and Progressive Racial Policy
	Gunnar Myrdal: An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy, 1944, pp. 50-80.
	Melvin L. Oliver & Thomas M. Shapiro: Black Wealth/White Wealth: A New Perspective on Racial Inequality, 1995, pp. 171-194.
February 15	Discursive Changes since Myrdal
	Howard Schuman et al.: Racial Attitudes in America, 1997, pp. 99-195.
February 22	Current Sources of Tension and Conflict
	Abigail & Stephan Thernstrom: America in Black and White, 1997, pp. 493-545
	David Shipler: A Country of Strangers: Blacks and Whites in America, 1997, pp. 447-488.
March 1	Discursive Issues in Schools and Midterm Paper
	Peter Figueroa: Education and the Social Construction of Race, 1991, pp. 26-88.
	Amy Stuart Wells & Robert L. Crain: "The Upwardly Mobile: Black Students who Succeed in the Suburban Schools" and "White Families in Flux: Intergenerational Lessons on School Desegregation" inStepping over the Color Line: African-American Students in White Suburban Schools, 1997.
March 8	Spring Break: No Class
March 15	Part II: Discursive Issues in Cities
	Juliet Saltman: Maintaining racially diverse neighborhoods. Urban Affairs Quarterly,, 1991.
March 22	Discursive Issues in Higher Education
	Claude Steele: A Threat in the Air: How Stereotypes Shape Intellectual Identity and Performance, in Confronting Racism, 1998, pp. 202-233.
	Dinesh D'Souza: Illiberal Education: The Politics of Race and Sex on Campus, 1991, pp. 229-257.
March 29	Discursive Issues in Local Media
	Dan Romer et al.: The Treatment of Persons of Color in Local Television News: Ethnic Blame Discourse or Realistic Group Conflict, Communication Research. 1998.
	Frank Gilliam et al.: Crime in black and white: The violent, scary world of local news. Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, 1996.
April 5	Discursive Issues in Politics
	Donald R. Kinder & Lynn M. Sanders: Divided by Color: Racial Politics and Democratic Ideals, 1996, pp. 229-258.
April 12 and 19	Part III: Group Research Reports
Finals Week	Final Written Report