Lecture notes and other links are available in our eLearning course materials
Classes |
Topics and readings |
Aug. 21 |
Orientation to the course. What is race?
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Aug. 26, 28 |
Tuesday: "Race—the power of an illusion, Episode 1: The Differences Between Us" Thursday: History of the concept of human variation up to 1700. What did the Egyptians think? What does the bible say about race? How did the Greeks and Romans characterize differences? When does race start to have its modern meaning?
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Sep. 2, 4 |
“Race—the power of an illusion, Episode 2: The Story We Tell”
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Sep. 9, 11 |
18 th and 19 th Century Pre-Darwinian views on variation: The rise of Polygenism, Linnaeus, Buffon, Blumenbach, Morton, Nott, Glidden, Agassiz
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Sep. 16, 18 |
Late 19th – Early 20 th Century concepts of human variation and the birth of Eugenics: Lincoln, Darwin's "The Descent of Man", Huxley, Galton, Haeckel in Germany, Davenport,
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Sep. 23, 25 |
20 th Century perspectives: Boas, Hooton, Washburn and Dobzhansky—the "new" physical anthropology, Montagu and Huxley argue against race, Coon endorses race, Jensen and others embrace race in explaining test score differences,
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Sep. 30, Oct. 2 |
“Race—the Power of an illusion, Part III: The House We Live In”
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Oct. 7 |
First Exam ; No class on Thursday—mid semester break |
Oct. 14, 16 |
Tuesday: Biological basis of human differences: Molecules and Families Thursday: Biological basis of human differences: Populations
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Oct. 21, 23 |
Diversity and human evolution
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Oct. 28, 30 |
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Nov. 4, 6 |
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Nov. 11, 13 |
Distribution of human differences: Drift and Selection
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Nov. 18, 20 |
Distribution of human differences: Drift and Selection
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Nov. 25 |
Human diversity and health: race and disease
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Dec. 2, 4 |
Race and IQ
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Dec. 11 |
Tuesday, 8:00 – 9:15 a.m.: Second Exam |
REQUIRED TEXTS :
Graves, Joseph L., Jr. 2001. The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millenium. Rutgers, NJ: Rutgers University Press. 978-0813533025
Sarich, Vincent and Miele, Frank. 2005. Race: The Reality of Human Differences. Boulder, CO:Westview Press. 978-0813343228
Wells, Spencer. 2003. The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 978-0812971460
OTHER READINGS are available through our course eLearning site.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an attempt to give students an ability to understand the complexities of human biological variation and its social import. Working from an historical and anthropological perspective, the concept of race is exposed as biologically invalid. Alternative explanations for the causes and distribution of human variation are provided. The social implications of the misapprehensions about human variation are also explored. Some specific objectives of the course include:
GRADING will be based on your performance on the two exams, a written assignment, and class participation as follows: Each exam is worth 25% of your class grade. Your written assignment is worth 20% of your class grade and your participation in class is worth 30% of your grade.
Exams will be short answer and paragraph form in format. Questions on the exams will be based on the readings and the in-class presentations and our discussions. The exams are non-cumulative in nature. That is, the second exam is only on material covered after the first exam.
Make-up exams: A student may be excused from taking an exam when scheduled in class if and only if: 1) the student has a written excuse from a doctor, minister, coach, or other similar authority, and 2) the student makes arrangements prior to the examthat he/she will be absent. The only exception to this rule is if the written excuse from a doctor documents the medical inability of the student to use a phone or e-mail prior to the exam. If a student misses a test without making prior arrangements, the student will be assigned a grade of F for that exam.
For the writing assignment you will write an essay in which you critically analyze the meaning(s) of human variation. Your essay assignment is due at the start of class on Tuesday, November 25. The essay should be approximately 5 pages (no more than 1500 words) in length covering all of the following issues:
To address these issues, use our text, our reader, our class notes and discussions, and the journal entries authored by you and your classmates.
Class participation will be based on your attendance and participation in class discussions. In order to get full credit you must not only attend class, but also meaningfully contribute to the discussion. Every class meeting will be graded for participation. In addition, you will keep a weekly blog on our website which will be graded for relevance to our topic and cogency of argument throughout the semester with your impressions and experiences concerning how human variability is portrayed in the media (including media like TV, movies, newspapers, magazines) as it relates to our weekly topics. You can also write about more personal aspects and experiences in your life, on campus, or at home, but please try to relate it to our topical issues. Bring your entry to each Thursday class meeting to share impressions. Entries must be posted by Tuesday noon each week, starting with the second week of class. Our Thursday classes will be built around a discussion of these entries. There is no make-up for attendance and participation, so if you cannot attend or find it too difficult to participate in discussions, you should consider taking some other course.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Phone: 348-5947, e-mail: jbindon@ua.edu.
OFFICE HOURS: TBA. E-mail will almost always be answered in less than 24 hours, often in less than 2.
STATEMENT ON DISABILITY: If you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, please make an appointment with me as early in the semester as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary. If you have a disability but have not contacted the Office of Disability Services, please call 354-5175 or visit Osband Hall to register for services. Because this is such an experiential and participatory course, if your disabililty will frequently prevent you from attending class or from speaking in class you are strongly encouraged to consider alternate courses that do not put as much emphasis on attendance and participation.
STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC FRAUD: All acts of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct. This includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information, misrepresentations, and abetting of any of the above. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event that academic misconduct occurs. Students should refer to the Student Affairs Handbook, which can be obtained in the Office of Student Life and Services in the Ferguson Center.