Fall 2017  |  SOC 4090 Section 001: Topics in Sociology -- Black to the Future: Race & Visions of Tomorrow (35420)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
A-F or Audit
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Class Attributes:
Topics Course
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
09/05/2017 - 12/13/2017
Tue, Thu 02:30PM - 03:45PM
UMTC, West Bank
Blegen Hall 225
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
Topics specified in Class Schedule. prereq: 1001 recommended; soc majors/minors must register A-F; cr will not be granted if cr has been received for the same topics title
Class Notes:
Click this link for more detailed course information: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?jmbell+SOC4090+Fall2017
Class Description:
The discipline of sociology has a central concern with understanding race in the US, but despite our disciplinary desire to predict future social trends, we do not often spend time examining popular visions of the future. Still scholars, novelists, filmmakers and social movements alike often construct visions of the future through claims about what will happen, what could happen, or what should happen. Using a diverse array of sources, this course will look specifically at the kinds of racial futures that are anticipated, feared and hoped for. We will read sociological texts, examine the use of allegory and parables by historians and social scientists, look at the visions set forth by social movements, and dissect future-oriented films and fiction all toward understanding the sociology of race in the US.


We will explore constructions of the future to examine what kinds of racial futures social movements and scholars/writers imagine and use that to illustrate the areas of concern of race-based social movements and sociological scholarship on race.

Who Should Take This Class?:
Anyone with an interest in the sociology of race and social movements or exploring science fiction/speculative fiction as a genre. Previous sociology courses will be helpful.
Learning Objectives:
Students should leave this course with a working knowledge of sociological perspectives on race and social movements. Students should also end the course with a solid understanding of how sociologists approach visions of the future.
Exam Format:
essay
Class Format:
lecture, discussion, group work
Workload:
Students should expect to read about 75-100 pages per week in addition to any outside film or art viewings assigned. There will be a big final project that can be fulfilled in a number of ways using various media. This will be presented at the end of the term. Students should expect to do a significant amount of writing in this course including weekly assignments.
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/35420/1179
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
5 April 2017

ClassInfo Links - Fall 2017 Sociology Classes

To link directly to this ClassInfo page from your website or to save it as a bookmark, use:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=SOC&catalog_nbr=4090&term=1179
To see a URL-only list for use in the Faculty Center URL fields, use:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=SOC&catalog_nbr=4090&term=1179&url=1
To see this page output as XML, use:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=SOC&catalog_nbr=4090&term=1179&xml=1
To see this page output as JSON, use:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=SOC&catalog_nbr=4090&term=1179&json=1
To see this page output as CSV, use:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/?subject=SOC&catalog_nbr=4090&term=1179&csv=1
Schedule Viewer
8 am
9 am
10 am
11 am
12 pm
1 pm
2 pm
3 pm
4 pm
5 pm
6 pm
7 pm
8 pm
9 pm
10 pm
s
m
t
w
t
f
s
?
Class Title

ClassInfo created and maintained by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

If you have questions about specific courses, we strongly encourage you to contact the department where the course resides.