Sociology of Race and Ethnicity: Strategies for Comparative Multicultural Courses

Abstract

Diversity breadth requirements, also known as multicultural requirements, are fast becoming an integral part of undergraduate education in American universities. This newly created requirement imposes a number of demands on comparative multicultural courses, including courses on sociology of race and ethnicity. In this essay we identify the challenges to curriculum development posed by the sociology of race and ethnicity as a specific example of a comparative multicultural course. We show how conventional course design, which is group-oriented, is less likely to fulfill the new demands and challenges confronting comparative multicultural courses. We propose a new, concept-oriented course design and provide suggestions for implementation.