Description
Most people agree that racism is bad (evil, immoral, unjust). Yet beneath this consensus we find deep disagreements about what racism is, what makes it so bad, and what we should do about it. This course offers an opportunity to probe our convictions about some deeply held beliefs on significant issues, including reparations for slavery, racial profiling, immigration, and desegregation. Students will seek out the best arguments that can be marshaled on behalf of their moral and political views, identify the vulnerabilities of these arguments, and seek to understand those who disagree by considering the strongest arguments for the views they reject. Our understanding of our own values will deepen and may shift in the process. We will emerge from this investigation with a clearer grasp of what racism is, why it is wrong, and what a world without racism might look like. Prerequisite: Any 3 or 4 credit course in Philosophy or consent of instructor.
Credits
4 credits
Level
Upper Division
Pathways:
The Capacities | Understanding Diversity
The Capacities | Written Communication
The Interdisciplinary Clusters | Ethics and Justice