PHIL 2203 - Philosophy of Race and Racism

3 (3-0)

This course explores various philosophical issues pertaining to race and racism. The first part of the course will focus on the history of the concept of “race” as well as various approaches philosophers have taken to defining and analyzing this concept. The second part of the course will consider the political, social, economic, and cultural implications of race with particular emphasis on the concept of “racism” and related concepts such as white privilege, white supremacy, and unconscious bias. Questions to be discussed throughout the semester include, but are not limited to: What is race? How does race differ from ethnicity, national origin, cultural affiliation, and other forms of collective identity? What is the relationship between race and other aspects of social identity such as class, gender, and sexual orientation? Are racial differences biological in nature, or are they socially constructed? Can value judgments about racial differences be intellectually and morally justified, or are such judgments objectionable by definition? What is racism/racial privilege? What are the different forms of racism and how do they relate to one another? What are the underlying causes of racism? What are the best strategies for combating racism? Throughout the course special attention will be given to recent political and social controversies surrounding race/racism such as police brutality, mass incarceration, racial inequality, post-racialism and “color-blindness,” etc.

Click here for the Spring 2024 Schedule of Classes

Click here for the Summer I 2024 Schedule of Classes

Click here for the Summer II 2024 Schedule of Classes

Click here for the Fall 2024 Schedule of Classes