Politics 390: Identity, Politics, and Society

MW

Professor LeBlanc

Professor Sumter

Huntley Hall

Leyburn 401A

Office Hrs: Tues & Thurs 10 – 12, or by appointment

Office Hrs: Tues & Fri 12 - 3, or by appointment

leblancr@wlu.edu

sumtert@wlu.edu

 

The term “identity politics” distinguishes political thought and activities centered on the shared experiences of members of certain social groups. Identity politics represents an alternative to more traditional social organizing around party affiliation or ideology. It emphasizes political positions and experiences that have arguably been marginalized within society at large. Thus identity politics is often connected to the idea that some social groups are oppressed or under threat.

 

The notion of identity has grown in political discourse raising a number of new questions and much heated debate. This course will explore some of the debate.  Central questions of the course include:

 

·    What causes people to identify with particular groups?

·    How is such identity maintained?

·    Are politics that emphasize group identity a necessary part of a democracy, or simply divisive?

·    Are some identity groups more desirable than others?

 

Texts

 

·    Alexis de Toqueville, Democracy in America

·    Iris Marion Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference

·    Allen Hertzke, Freeing God’s Children

 

Other readings will be made available online or through the Leyburn Library reserve desk.

 

Course Format

 

This is a seminar course, so your careful preparation and thoughtful participation in regular class discussion are essential to your success. Identity is something deeply embedded in each of our lives.  This course will highlight thorny issues that relate to the lives of each and every person in the room.  In order to make this investigation of identity and politics meaningful, we must be more than usually observant about the very attitudes and experiences that we take for granted in our own lives.   Further, we must be willing to wrestle with share our observations, reactions and questions openly.   For precisely that reason, it would be irresponsible of us to simply lecture through the term.

 

There is no better way to help you embrace and challenge the course material than to ask you to take an active part in creating the learning community in which it will be addressed.  It is imperative that each of us take responsibility for being prepared for discussion and to be civil during discussion.

 

Please remember that understanding why people (students, teachers, authors) who disagree with you have come to the position they hold is a very valuable means of understanding political phenomena. When you find another’s opinion distressing, remind yourself that the opinion is also rich data in your quest to better understand the political world. In this class understanding your opponent is more important than besting him or her. Feel free to address yourself openly and honestly to any argument, so long as you do so in a spirit that encourages the equally honest and open participation of your best adversary.

 

 

Attendance & Participation

You will find it very difficult to do well in this class if you are not consistently present and prepared.   Supplemental material will be presented in class throughout the semester. Moreover, a great deal will be unearthed through class discussion.  We reserve the right to use quizzes and other incentives if students repeatedly come to class unprepared.

 

We do reserve the right to penalize you for more than two unexcused absences by making a deduction in your final course grade at our discretion. This penalty may include failure of the course. Late work will be accepted only if we choose to accept it and may be penalized up to a whole letter grade per day late.

 

An excused absence is one that is approved prior to the session.  You should let us know of any team competitions or scheduled surgeries ahead of time.  If some extraordinary difficulty befalls you, and you believe you are deserving of an exception from any of the above policies, please let us know about your situation as soon as possible. We will try to be as accommodating as fairness allows.

 

Grading

 

·    Class Participation - 10%

·    Assignment 1:  What is American Identity? - 10%

·    Assignment 2:  Political Autobiography – 10%

·    Midterm – 20%

·    Group Presentation Day – 20%

·    Final Examination – 30%

 

Everything you do in this course should be undertaken in conformity with the spirit of the Washington and Lee University Honor system. Please pledge all of your written work. Should you ever have any question regarding whether your work meets my standards for work that may be fairly pledged, please feel free to consult us. We will do our best to answer questions completely and frankly.

 

Should you require special accommodations for exams or other assignments you must provide us with documentation from the Dean in advance. Accommodations such as additional exam time will not be made otherwise, nor will grades be adjusted after the fact.

 

Group Presentation

Since an exhaustive review of all pertinent issues is not possible in one semester, these presentations will provide students with an opportunity to explore independently topics of particular interest.  For the final week of class students will be responsible for leading the class discussion on a topic related to the course.

 

Students groups are required to meet at least once with one of the instructors prior to the session they will lead to discuss potential topics and sources.

 

Reading Guide

 

Class Day

Reading

Mon., Jan. 3

 

First day of class

 

Wed., Jan. 5

 

Gutmann,  “The Good the Bad and the Ugly of Identity Politics”

Mon., Jan. 10

 

Tocqueville, pages 31-57; 246-276

Wed., Jan. 12

 

Tocqueville, pages 316-407

Mon., Jan. 17 (MLK day)

 
  • Huntington, “The Hispanic Challenge”  and “One Nation Out of Many: Why ‘Americanization’ of Newcomers is still Important”
  • Both are available through the Expanded Academic ASAP online index, available on the Leyburn Library website, database section. Change the “keyword” category to “author,” and search for “Huntington, Samuel.”
  • First Draft: Political Autobiography

Wed., Jan. 19 (Founders’ Day – RE Lee worship day) –great day for observation of a manifestation of “whiteness”

 
  • “What is American Identity?” Activity
  • Roediger, “Whiteness and Ethnicity in the History of ‘White Ethnics’ in the United States” [Leyburn Reserve]
  • Rasmussen, et al., The Making and Unmaking of Whiteness, Introduction [Leyburn Reserve]

Mon., Jan. 24

 
  • Gay, “Putting Race in Context: Identifying the Environmental Determinants of Black Racial Attitudes”  [http://annie.wlu.edu/record=b1260266 Connect to this site, choose the electronic version of the American Political Science Review, and find the PDF of the article under November 2004, Volume 98, Issue 4]
  • Lacy “Black Spaces, Black Places: Strategic Assimilation and Identity Construction in Middle-Class Suburbia” [SUMTER]
  • American Identity assignment Due

Wed., Jan. 26

 

deBeauvoir, The Second Sex, Introduction [Leyburn Reserve]

Mon., Jan 31

 

MIDTERM EXAM

Wed., Feb. 2

Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference, Intro and chap. 2

 

Mon., Feb. 7

 

Young, chap. 4

Wed. Feb. 9

 

Young, chap. 5

Mon., Feb 21

 

Young, chap. 6

Wed., Feb. 23

 

Young., chap. 7

 

Mon., Feb. 28
  • Balibar, “Is European Citizenship Possible?” from Cities & Citizenship ­[Leyburn Reserve]
  • Sassen, “Immigration Tests The New Order” from Losing Control [Leyburn Reserve]

Wed., March 2

 
  • Nussbaum, “Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism” and
  • Barber, “Constitutional Faith” from For Love of Country? [Leyburn Reserve]
  • Barber, “Jihad vs. McWorld” [Leyburn Reserve]

Mon., March 7

 

Wed., March 9

 

Hertzke, Saving God’s Children

Mon., March 14

 

Hertke,

 

Wed., March 16

 

Hertke,

Mon., March 21

 

Group 1 Presentation

Wed., March 23

 

Hertzke Visit

Mon., March 28

 

Group 2 Presentation

Wed., March 30

 

Last day of class – Course Evaluations / Review for final