As so often in American history, many of the most contentious political issues of the day arise out of this country's racial and ethnic diversity: affirmative action; racial bias in law enforcement and the courts; the status of English; immigration reform; multiculturalism in schools and workplaces. Public debate about these issues often focuses on polarizing claim to moral correctness, or appeals to economic cost/benefit analyses. The goal of this course is to bring sociological thinking to bear on these issues. We will apply competing theories of race/ethnicity, the relationship between race and nationality, and patterns of racial and ethnic socialization to a series of case studies that exemplify race-related policy issues. As part of the Critical Reasoning and Analytical Skills Initiative this course will lay a foundation for further studies in the social sciences, stressing students' skills in framing questions, evaluating evidence, and constructing compelling arguments. Requirements: four short essays. Enrollment limited to 20. (This course is part of the Critical Reasoning and Analytical Skills initiative. )