EDST 391-083
Color-Blind Nation: Worthy or Worthless Goal?

Course Objectives

This course is a Freshman Honors Colloquium. As such, it emphasizes class discussion and requires considerable writing. The aim is to develop your thinking and writing skills while sharing an intellectual journey into a realm of heated national debate--race and affirmative action.

Should employers, colleges, and government agencies treat individuals without regard to color, or would it be fairer to weigh race and ethnicity in their decisions about whom to hire and fire, admit and educate, and award business? Thirty years ago this seemed to be a settled question, but it is now a matter of raging national debate. Black intellectuals argue among themselves, one branch of the federal government wars with another or with the electorate, and citizens get mixed messages about whether racial integration is such a good idea after all. We will read recent works by thinkers on different sides of the debate, and also monitor various news sources for coverage of on-going controversies and court cases. The course will emphasize the social and philosophical issues underlying the debate and how its resolution one way versus another could fundamentally change what it means to be an American.

I want us to explore all points of view and questions, so I encourage discussion and debate. Please also feel free to share any questions, concerns, suggestions, and insights with me, whether via email, telephone, or a visit to my office. You can also share your thoughts with all of us via email by sending a message to edst391-083-98f@udel.edu. I use email a lot, so please check your mail regularly.

Readings (Note: Some may be deleted or added.)

• Thernstrom, S., & Thernstrom, A. (1997). America in black and white: One nation, indivisible. New York: Simon and Schuster. We will read about 6 chapters.

• Mills, N. (Ed.) (1994). Debating affirmative action: Race, gender, ethnicity, and the politics of inclusion. New York: Delta. Note: Only a limited number of used copies are for sale because the book is out of print. There is a 2-hour copy on reserve in the Morris Library. You will read the following chapters.
  • Bond, J. The Civil Rights Act: White men's hope, pp. 126-128.
  • Chavez, L. Just say Latino, pp. 174-179.
  • Dinh, V. D. Multiracial affirmative action, pp. 280-289.
  • Kennedy, R. Persuasion and distrust: The affirmative action debate, pp. 48-67.
  • Krikorian, M. Affirmative action and immigration, pp. 300-303.
  • Mills, N. Introduction: To look like America, pp. 1-17, 26-32.
  • Steele, S. A negative vote on affirmative action, pp. 37-47.
  • Tien, C.-L. Diversity and excellence in higher education, pp. 237-246.

• Barnes , J. E. (1997a, December 22). A surprising turn on minority enrollments. U.S. News & World Report.
• Barnes , J. E. (1997b, December 22). (Re) Affirming admissions policies. U.S. News & World Report.
• Cohen
• Glazer
• Horowitz, (Oct 12, 1998). Clinton's Amen Chorus. Salon.
• Kaufman, Jonathan (1998). Prison Life Is All Around for a Girl Growing Up in Downtown Baltimore. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.
• King, M. L., Jr. (1963/1990). The March on Washington address. In D. Ravitch (Ed.), An American reader: Words that moved a nation. New York, HarperCollins, pp. 331-334.
• Sanchez, R. (1997, December 5). Final exam for campus affirmative action? Washington Post, pp. A1, A35, A36.
• Sack , Kevin (1998, Sept. 19). Blacks Remain Firmly Loyal to Clinton for Many Reasons. New York Times
• Text of Proposition 209
• Gov. Wilson's Veto of Prop. 209
• Douglas, Stephen
• Zuckoff Mitchell (10/21/98). A new word on speech codes: One school that led way is rethinking its rules Boston Globe p A1
• Others to be added

• Asante, M. K. (1995). The Afrocentric idea in education. In Noll, J. W. (Ed.), Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial educational issues (8th ed.). Guilford, Ct: Dushkin Publishing, pp. 214-226.
• Brooks, R. L. (1996). Integration or separation? A strategy for racial equality. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, pp. ix-x, 117-123, 189-197, 221-243, 282-286.
• Bryden, D. P. (1998). The false promise of compromise. The Public Interest, Winter, pp. 50-63.
• Carter, S. L. (1993). The black table, the empty seat, and the tie. In G. Early, (Ed.), Lure and loathing: Essays on race, identity, and the ambivalence of assimilation. New York: Penguin, pp. 55-79.
• Clegg, R. (1998, May/June). Beyond quotas: A color blind vision for affirmative action. Policy Review, pp. 12-20.
• deTocqueville, A. (1863). The three races in the United States. Chapter 18 in Democracy in America: Vol. I. Cambridge: Sever and Francis, pp. 424-431, 456-490.
• Gaziano, T. (1998, May/June). The new massive resistance: The Clinton administration defies the constitution to save racial preference. Policy Review, pp. 22-29.
• Jefferson, T. (1990). Declaration of Independence. In D. Ravitch (Ed.), An American reader: Words that moved a nation. New York: HarperCollins, pp. 20-23 (2 pages in packet).
• Jeffrey, D. A., & Kennedy, B. T. (1996). A citizen's guide to the affirmative action debate. Claremont, CA: The Claremont Institute. pp. 3-11.
• Kennedy, R. (1997, May). My race problem--and ours. The Atlantic Monthly, pp. 55-56, 58-60,64-66.
• Lincoln, A. (1857/1985). The Declaration of Independence includes all men. In R. N. Current (Ed.), The political thought of Abraham Lincoln,. New York: Macmillan, pp. 84-93.
• Loury, G. (1990). Achieving the "dream": A challenge to liberals and to conservatives in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. A speech at the Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC, February 12, pp. 1-11.
• Loury, G. (1995). Individualism before multiculturalism. The Public Interest , Spring, No. 121, pp. 92-106.
• McKnight, R. (1993). Confessions of a wannabe Negro. In G. Early (Ed.), Lure and loathing: Essays on race, identity, and the ambivalence of assimilation. New York: Penguin, pp. 95-112.
• Powell, L. (1978/1991). University of California v. Bakke. In M. Harrison & S. Gilbert (Eds.), Landmark decisions of the United States Supreme Court, Vol 1. Beverly Hills, CA: Excellent Books, pp. 129-157.
• Roberts, P. C., & Stratton, L. M. (1995). The new color line: How quotas and privilege destroy democracy. Washington, DC: Regnery, pp. ix-xiv, 13-20.
• Schlesinger, A. M., Jr. (1995). The disuniting of America. In Noll, J. W. (Ed.), Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial educational issues (8th ed.). Guilford, CT: Dushkin Publishing, pp. 227-236. (Note: this article is attached to the Asante article.)
• Taney, R. (1857/1991). Dred Scott v. Sandford. In M. Harrison & S. Gilbert (Eds.), Landmark decisions of the United States Supreme Court, Vol 2. Beverly Hills, CA: Excellent Books, pp. 14-34
  
  

Course Requirements

• Papers: There will be three papers. You will rewrite the first two. Rewriting is more than just a cosmetic touch-up. It involves rethinking, too. A Writing Fellow will be available to assist you with all papers, including the rewrites. See the following schedule for when papers and rewrites will be assigned and due.

• Daily P/F assignments: In addition to these graded assignments, there will be daily P/F writing assignments related to the day's readings.

• Weekly "News in Review" by teams: The class will be divided into three teams, each of which will be responsible for monitoring a different major news source for news and editorials on race and affirmative action. The class webpage is linked to a few major newspapers. Members of the team will take turns summarizing that week's news for the class during the 15-minute "week in review" on Thursdays. News articles will be brought to class and maintained in a 3-ring binder kept outside my office.

• Class participation: You will be expected to attend class, have done your readings and daily writing assignments, and regularly participate in class discussion. Your participation grade is enhanced by a willingness to take intellectual risks in class, asking good questions, facilitating discussion among your classmates, and bringing pertinent news and observations to class. Being prepared also includes bringing the day'sreadings to class, because we will sometimes turn to them during vdiscussions.

Grading

• 85% Papers
  • 10% Paper 1
  • 20% Rewrite 1
  • 15% Paper 2
  • 20% Rewrite 2
  • 20% Paper 3
• 15% Class participation, including in debates and weekly "News in Review" presentations

Schedule of Assignments

Day 1 (9/1)--Orientation

• video

Day 2 (9/3)--Recent controversies over racial preferences in college admissions

• syllabus
• Barnes, "Surprising" {website}
• Barnes, "(Re)Affirming" {website}
• Sanchez {website} (under construction)

Day 3 (9/8)--California's Proposition 209

• News articles available in class or on the website
• Jeffrey & Kennedy {packet}

Day 4 (9/10)--"All men are created equal"

• Jefferson {packet}
• Roberts & Stratton, pp. 13-20 only {packet}

Day 5 (9/15)--Slavery

• deTocqueville {packet}

Day 6 (9/17)--Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision

• Taney {packet}
• Lincoln {packet}
• handout on Missouri Compromise and Kansas-Nebraska Act recommended (handed out in class)
• Paper 1 assigned

Day 7 (9/22)--Life under Jim Crow

• Thernstroms's America, pp. 25-62

Day 8 (9/24)--Debate/discussion on topic to be determined

• Sack , Kevin (1998, Sept. 19). Blacks Remain Firmly Loyal to Clinton for Many Reasons.
• Paper 1 due

Day 9 (9/29)--1950's struggle

• Thernstroms's America, pp. 95-121
• video

Day 10 (10/1)--Early 1960's struggle and triumph

• Thernstroms's America, pp. 122-151
• video
• Paper 1 returned

Day 11 (10/6)--The national consensus crumbles

• Thernstroms's America, pp. 158-180
• video

Day 12 (10/8)--Federal pressure for racial balance: From desegregation to integration

• Thernstroms's America, pp. 315-322, 343-347
• Mills, pp. 1-17, 26-32 {Mills book}
• Gaziano {packet} Skim or skip this reading. Just take note of the irony intended.
• Rethink 1 due

Day 13 (10/13)--Social-psychological effects

• Steele, pp. 37-47 {Mills book}
• Kennedy, only pp. 48-55 {Mills book}

Day 14 (10/15)--Fundamental principles at stake

• Kennedy, pp. 55-67 {Mills book}
• Roberts & Stratton, only pp. ix-xiv {packet}
• Rethink 1 returned

Day 15 (10/20)--Racial development vs. serfdom

• Loury, 1990 {packet}
• Paper 2 assigned

Day 16 (10/22)--Impact

• Thernstroms's America, pp. 386-412
• Tien {Mills book}