BASS Philosophy and Criminology / Course details

This course introduces students to the sociology of racism and ethnicity, using the UK experience as a case study. It explores the origins and development of racism within Britain, examining how processes of racialization have shaped and continue to shape the nature of British society. We look at the role ‘race’ has played in the production of inequalities and exclusions, as well as how it informs notions of national identity. We also explore how race interacts with class and gender. The course engages with contemporary debates and theoretical advances, particularly in relation to Islamophobia, critical whiteness studies, institutional racism, and ‘post-race’. The module aims to:

• To provide an introduction to theorisations of racism and racialization
• Introduce students to the ways in which Racism and Ethnicity interact with other forms of social difference such as nation, gender, class, and religion.
• Encourage students to evaluate the role of racism in the structure of British society.
• To explore current theoretical debates around key issues such as institutional racism, Islamophobia, post-race, Brexit, and critical whiteness studies.

• To provide an introduction to theorisations of racism and racialization
• Introduce students to the ways in which Racism and Ethnicity interact with other forms of social difference such as nation, gender, class, and religion.
• Encourage students to evaluate the role of racism in the structure of British society.
• To explore current theoretical debates around key issues such as institutional racism, Islamophobia, post-race, Brexit, and critical whiteness studies.

On completion of the course students will be expected to:

• Have knowledge of a range of theoretical tools to understand contemporary debates about 'race', ethnicity and difference.
• Understand the relationship between 'race', ethnicity and other forms of social difference.
• To critically engage with key texts and theoretical ideas.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the role of 'racism' in the structure of British society.
• Have a critical understanding of contemporary developments in the sociology of racism and ethnicity in the UK.

Weekly 2 hour lecture/1 hour tutorial

• One compulsory non-assessed essay plan; 5 point penalty for non-submission
• One assessed coursework essay; 2000 words; 50% of final mark
• One online, open book exam (answer 2 questions; guide 1000 words per answer); 50% of final mark.

All sociology courses include both formative feedback – which lets you know how you’re getting on and what you could do to improve – and summative feedback – which gives you a mark for your assessed work.

Anthias, F. and Yuval-Davis, N. (1992) Racialized Boundaries: Race, nation, gender, colour and class and the anti-racist struggle, London: Routledge.

Back, L. and Solomos, J. (eds.) (2009) Theories of Race and Racism: A Reader, London: Routledge.

Garner, S. (2017) Racisms: An Introduction (Second Edition), London: Sage (highly recommended).

Gilroy, P. (1987) There Ain’t No Black in the Union Jack, London: Hutchinson.

Meer, N. (2014) Key Concepts in Race and Ethnicity, London: Sage.

Rattansi, A. (2007) Racism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press.