Social Identities In Societies: What Impact Does Our Social Identities (race, Gender, Sexuality, Social Class, Disability, Age, Etc.) Have On Our Lives? | Kampusguide

Required Texts:
 Adams, Blumenfeld, Catalano, DeJong, Hopkins, Love, Hackman, Shlasko, Peters, and
Zúñiga, Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, 4 th edition, New York: Routledge, 2018
 Johnson, Allan G., Privilege, Power and Difference, 3 rd edition, McGraw-Hill, 2017
 Articles, videos, films, and materials, which will be posted in Canvas.
Social Identities in Societies: What impact does our social identities (race, gender, sexuality, social class, disability, age, etc.) have on our lives?
How do our various social identities intersect to shape our experiences?
How do we construct our social differences? How might the social construction of difference lead to inequalities, affect our view of society, and impact our relationships? These are some of the many questions we will ask in this course.
Course Description: WEST 1010 –introduces you to the growing, interdisciplinary fields of race and
gender studies. Throughout the course of the semester we will explore the meaning of basic concepts in
the fields of Ethnic Studies and Women’s Studies, and examine contemporary instances of inequality
primarily in the United States within a historical context. Race and gender intertwine in their workings;
we will therefore examine the ways in which they intersect—along with other variables including class,
sexual orientation, culture and ability—to shape our lives, opportunities, and experiences.
Inclusiveness Courses Help You Learn About:
 The dynamics and systemic and historical aspects of inclusion and exclusion
 Ways that inclusivity (and exclusivity) are generated at local, national, and global levels
Essential Learning Outcomes:
 Articulate origins, influences, and impacts of inclusion and exclusion within societies.
This class is organized on the premise that discrimination and oppression (in the form of racism, sexism,
and homophobia, etc.) exists; however, we all experience varying degrees of privilege and oppression, yet
these experiences are not the same. Moreover, difference––in and of itself––does not create inequality;
rather, systems of inequality create social and political differences, which perpetuate inequality based on
intersecting social identity locations that include, but are not limited to race, sexuality, gender, class status
and so forth. To substantiate this premise, we will explore a variety of ways in which these systems of
inequity function and impact the lives of people within and beyond the United States.

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Among other things, we will consider key concepts and issues such as the historical, cultural, and
sociological construction of social identity locations. We will also explore the manner in which power is
maintained and perpetuated specifically in regard to the social locations of race, ethnicity, gender, class,
sexuality, ability and so forth; as well as the manner in which these categories inform our everyday lives
at both the micro and macro levels. We will also discuss the creation of legislature and public policy
regarding language, immigration, and affirmative action. Finally, this course is designed to inspire and
guide students in developing concrete strategies for critically and actively engaging manifestations of
injustice in society.
Course Objectives:
 To encourage students to think critically and identify that race, class, gender, sexuality, and
disability are social constructs;
 To help students analyze and understand how these identities intersect to form systems of
privilege and oppression on individual, interpersonal and institutional levels and how these
systems of power have been reproduced and sustain over time;
 To help students examine and see how communities have responded to and resisted these systems
of power.
 Devise strategies we can personally utilize to create a more equitable world.
Course objectives will be met through online discussion groups, journals, reflections, activities and social
action projects as well as synthesis and critical analysis of course readings and materials. We will
examine privilege and oppression from a range of theoretical, academic, popular and creative