MCCCD Program Description

Ethnic Relations in the United States

Course: AFR202

First Term: 2017 Spring

Lecture 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s) 3 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: Basic concepts and processes, including historic overview, of interethnic relations in the United States: culture, race, ethnicity, ethnocentrism, prejudice, discrimination, racism, assimilation, acculturation, and individual and group responses to interethnic contact. Cultural knowledge and intercultural communication skills and perspectives as fundamental tools for successful management of social relations in a multicultural world.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Describe the importance of understanding ethnic relations in modern United States culture. (I) 2. Explain core concepts and principles of cultural anthropology. (II) 3. Explain core concepts related to race, ethnicity, and culture. (III) 4. Summarize a major anthropological theory or model of ethnic relations. (IV) 5. Compare and contrast the variety of ways in which groups adapt to a multicultural society. (V) 6. Compare and contrast individual adaptations to interethnic contact. (V) 7. Provide a historical perspective regarding various ethnic groups in the United States. (VI) 8. Analyze the impact of contact over time between various ethnic groups in the United States. (VI) 9. Compare and contrast the sociopolitical/economic factors in immigration to the United States for different ethnic groups. (VI, VII) 10. Describe and analyze in depth some of the major contemporary issues in interethnic relations in the United States. (VII) 11. Incorporate concepts of interethnic relations into an understanding of a specific area of interest. (VIII) 12. Formulate predictions regarding the future of interethnic relations in a changing United States society. (IX)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Importance of understanding interethnic relations in modern U.S. culture II. Understanding culture and human behavior III. Concepts of race, ethnicity, and culture IV. Theory and models of ethnic relations V. Intercultural contact A. Group adaptations B. Individual adaptations VI. History of interethnic relations in the U.S. A. Native American B. European Americans C. Hispanics D. African-Americans E. Asian-Americans F. Other groups VII. Contemporary issues in interethnic relations A. Prejudice and discrimination B. Affirmative Action and related programs C. Immigration D. Interplay of class and ethnic group VIII. An applied perspective on interethnic relations A. Community B. Workplace C. Institutions IX. Future of interethnic relations in the U.S.

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: November 22, 2016

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.