“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.” |
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"Vickerman and Strmic-Pawl provide a well-rounded collection of works that address the history of racial inequality and its continued significance in the 21st century. Rather than segmenting the experiences of different racial groups, the history and experiences of all groups are interwoven to highlight the deep-rooted inequality between whites and non-whites. Noteworthy excerpts include those on racial formations, anti-immigrant rhetoric, race in popular culture, and the future of race relations. An excellent reader to stir up thoughts and conversations in a critical undergraduate course on race and ethnic relations."
Bhoomi K. Thakore, Elmhurst College "Vickerman and Strmic-Pawl’s text is a must-have for classroom instructors wrestling with the challenges of teaching contemporary ethnoracial dynamics. Their selected readings are some of the most important, and challenging, writings in the field of the sociology of race and ethnicity. Yet, by providing clear summations at the beginning, and critical questions at the end, the authors strike a perfect balance. Providing contemporary stories and events at the end of each section enables students to better understand how race and ethnicity continue to matter in the shaping of their daily lives. This text serves as an important guide for students and instructors as they seek to discover the dynamic encounters between their personal biographies and larger, social forces that shape the everyday unfolding of race and ethnicity." James M. Thomas, assistant professor of sociology, University of Mississippi, author of Are Racists Crazy? (NYU Press, 2016) |
Race and Ethnicity: Constancy in Change uses both classic readings and new research on contemporary racial inequality to create a logical progression through the primary issues of race and ethnicity.
The nine sections discuss the history of race and racism, define major concepts, and analyze how and why inequality persists. In addition to the readings, the anthology features introductions that frame each section’s readings, key terms with which students should be familiar, learning objectives for each section, and Reflect and Consider inquiries designed for each reading. Each section ends with a Highlight that showcases a contemporary racial trend in the news. The sections are also supplemented by Read, Listen, Watch, Interact! features, which supply easily accessible links to complementary readings, audio stories, videos, and interactive websites. The book concludes with Investigate Further, a list of readings for those who wish to delve deeper into a particular topic. Race and Ethnicity enables students to grasp the fundamentals of race and racism and encourages them to engage in conversations about them. Ideal for sociology programs, the anthology is well-suited to courses on race and ethnicity. |
Teaching Interests and Pedagogy
My teaching interests largely center on issues of inequality - whether that is race, gender, sexuality, class, or an intersection of these issues. I work to show how in all situations there is both oppression and resistance. In all my courses I provide strong theoretical paradigms as well as first person accounts so that students are able to grasp the importance of both the academic and lived realities of inequality.
Current Position
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Manhattanville College
Professional Pedagogy Positions
Pedagogy Editor, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
Chair, Teaching Social Problems Division of SSSP (2014-2016)
Training & Awards
Education Freedom Award, NAACP, Coastal Carolina University chapter, 2015
Liberal Arts and Sciences Small Teaching Grant, College of Charleston, 2013
Sage/Pine Forge Teaching Innovations & Professional Development Award, 2010
American Sociological Association The Best Teachers We Can Be: Learning Scholarly Teaching Conference, 2010
North Central Sociological Association/Midwest Sociological Society Future Faculty Certificate, 2010
UVa Lantern Society Recognition for Teaching & Service, 2008
Sample of Courses Taught
Soc 242: Systems of Inequality
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” and yet over two hundred years later we are facing the gripping realities that society does not abide by this doctrine. We will study systemic and systematic inequality along class, race, and gender (to name a few) lines, exploring the barriers and/or advantages that individuals encounter. The course will also cover some history, theoretical explanations for inequality, and three of our largest institutions of inequality (education, health care, and the prison system).
Soc 341: Race & Ethnic Relations
Significant changes in the practice of Affirmative Action and school busing throughout the nation, the rise of the multiracial population, and the election of Barack Obama, lead many today to question the continuing significance of race. In this course you will be given an introduction to the sociological study of the field of Race and Ethnicity in an effort to help you evaluate the “continuing significance of race.” We will explore “race,” from vantages on historical conceptions, to theories on racial formations and racism, to intersectional analysis. Through this course you will learn the predominant complexities and debates that underlie the meanings and implications of race in the United States.
Soc 410: African American Communities
In this course, we will take a sociological approach to understanding African American communities – both historically and contemporarily. We will seek to understand how both structure and agency and/or oppression and resistance have given rise and shape to various facets of African American and Black communities. We will pay attention to how people of African descent have worked to protect their communities, to raise their standards of living and opportunities, and have actively fought racism. The readings are a range of first person narratives, social commentary and sociological perspectives on issues such as family, faith, popular culture, and politics. Though the syllabus is demarcated by various topics it is important to recognize that most often there is no clear delineation between topics; for example, Black churches and Black families are intimately intertwined as are Afrocentrism and Black political organizing and in fact, in many respects Black churches, families, Afrocentrism, and political organizing overlap in theory and action. Through this course you will come to understand the evolution from enslaved African, to Negro, to Black, to African American, and to the contemporary question – what is Black and Blackness? With such a broad title of “African American Communities” this syllabus is necessarily a sampling of available readings and topics – in other words, remember there is no “The Black Community.
My teaching interests largely center on issues of inequality - whether that is race, gender, sexuality, class, or an intersection of these issues. I work to show how in all situations there is both oppression and resistance. In all my courses I provide strong theoretical paradigms as well as first person accounts so that students are able to grasp the importance of both the academic and lived realities of inequality.
Current Position
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Manhattanville College
Professional Pedagogy Positions
Pedagogy Editor, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
Chair, Teaching Social Problems Division of SSSP (2014-2016)
Training & Awards
Education Freedom Award, NAACP, Coastal Carolina University chapter, 2015
Liberal Arts and Sciences Small Teaching Grant, College of Charleston, 2013
Sage/Pine Forge Teaching Innovations & Professional Development Award, 2010
American Sociological Association The Best Teachers We Can Be: Learning Scholarly Teaching Conference, 2010
North Central Sociological Association/Midwest Sociological Society Future Faculty Certificate, 2010
UVa Lantern Society Recognition for Teaching & Service, 2008
Sample of Courses Taught
Soc 242: Systems of Inequality
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” and yet over two hundred years later we are facing the gripping realities that society does not abide by this doctrine. We will study systemic and systematic inequality along class, race, and gender (to name a few) lines, exploring the barriers and/or advantages that individuals encounter. The course will also cover some history, theoretical explanations for inequality, and three of our largest institutions of inequality (education, health care, and the prison system).
Soc 341: Race & Ethnic Relations
Significant changes in the practice of Affirmative Action and school busing throughout the nation, the rise of the multiracial population, and the election of Barack Obama, lead many today to question the continuing significance of race. In this course you will be given an introduction to the sociological study of the field of Race and Ethnicity in an effort to help you evaluate the “continuing significance of race.” We will explore “race,” from vantages on historical conceptions, to theories on racial formations and racism, to intersectional analysis. Through this course you will learn the predominant complexities and debates that underlie the meanings and implications of race in the United States.
Soc 410: African American Communities
In this course, we will take a sociological approach to understanding African American communities – both historically and contemporarily. We will seek to understand how both structure and agency and/or oppression and resistance have given rise and shape to various facets of African American and Black communities. We will pay attention to how people of African descent have worked to protect their communities, to raise their standards of living and opportunities, and have actively fought racism. The readings are a range of first person narratives, social commentary and sociological perspectives on issues such as family, faith, popular culture, and politics. Though the syllabus is demarcated by various topics it is important to recognize that most often there is no clear delineation between topics; for example, Black churches and Black families are intimately intertwined as are Afrocentrism and Black political organizing and in fact, in many respects Black churches, families, Afrocentrism, and political organizing overlap in theory and action. Through this course you will come to understand the evolution from enslaved African, to Negro, to Black, to African American, and to the contemporary question – what is Black and Blackness? With such a broad title of “African American Communities” this syllabus is necessarily a sampling of available readings and topics – in other words, remember there is no “The Black Community.
