SOAN*2290 will offer a critical examination of the socially constructed dimensions of racial and ethnic relations that result in real social and economic consequences for members of particular racialized groups. We will explore the Canadian context as a contested space where groups compete for resources and in so doing, interrogate the various intergroup power dynamics that exist within Canada that create, perpetuate, and maintain the social strata. Through an examination of historical processes, governmental and institutional policies, and ideologies students will develop a nuanced understanding of how race thinking and racialization, particularly operate and are ascribed to particular bodies in ways that structurally shape lived experiences, possibilities, opportunities, and outcomes.

Through various methods, students will undertake an exploration of the ways in which sociohistorical constructions of race shape the experiences, constructions, and outcomes of various racialized communities in complex ways both historically and contemporarily. The group-based literature review in particular, will provide students with an opportunity to apply course knowledge to their contexts and develop a deeper understanding of how these racial and ethnic dynamics bear out contemporarily within existing Canadian social institutions.

Please be advised that this draft outline provides a preliminary framework of the course and is subject to change upon syllabus finalization. Students will be provided with a complete and updated course syllabus on the first day of classes via CourseLink.