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SOCA-D4900

Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity Politics

année académique
2025-2026
2026-2027

Titulaire(s) du cours

Giacomo ORSINI (Coordonnateur)

Crédits ECTS

5

Langue(s) d'enseignement

anglais

Contenu du cours

This module introduces core academic debates concerned with race and ethnicity, and the operationalization of both concepts in society. Developing genealogically, the course starts first by concentrating on the genesis and functioning of race and racism from the colonial times, up until the two World Wars. Next, the attention moves to debates concerned with institutional racism in North America and the UK, and the political and societal struggles of the Civil Rights movements. Thus, classes explore the concept of ethnicity to track how it progressively complemented and replaced race in the analysis of diversity and global inequalities within a decolonizing/postcolonial world. As the timeline brings us to the last quarter of the 20th century, the course then focuses on key debates concerned with multiculturalism, transnationalism and cosmopolitanism in different geographical and institutional settings. Then, we concentrate on the progressive inclusion of gender and sexuality in the study of migration. The final section of the course provides a critical look at the current securitization of migration as a tool for racist/ethnic exclusion/inclusion. One last class is left for students and the lecturer to co-decide on the contents. Finally, one last session of 4hrs is used by students to present and discuss in class their group exercises/presentations/field works/etc. as agreed and organized during the course.

Objectifs (et/ou acquis d'apprentissages spécifiques)

Students are expected to acquire a critical and multidisciplinary understanding of race and ethnicity and, more broadly, of the (re)production of diversity and inequality in society. Importantly, students are meant to learn how to mobilize the acquired theoretical tools for critically analysing the most relevant past and present policies for the governance of inclusion and exclusion.

Pré-requis et Co-requis

Connaissances et compétences pré-requises ou co-requises

No specific prerequisites

Méthodes d'enseignement et activités d'apprentissages

Classes are horizontal with a variety of interactions between the lecturer and students, and within students themselves. Participation is promoted and pedagogical strategies as well as some of the contents of the course are co-decided by students and the lecturer. The course normally also counts on the number of guest lectures, often from scholars working in the so-called "Global South" (i.e., most of these guest lectures are online).

Support(s) de cours

  • Syllabus

Autres renseignements

Contacts

giacomo.orsini@ugent.be; giacomo.orsini@uclouvain.be; giacomo.orsini@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Evaluation

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

  • Examen oral
  • Travail de groupe

Examen oral

  • Examen hors-session
  • Question ouverte à développement long

Travail de groupe

Students are evaluated on their ability to operationalise the theoretical and conceptual tools and reflections discussed during the course, in relation to real life present or past events. Their participation to the course and in-class discussions is also considered for the final evaluation, together with a group work as organised during the entirety of the course.

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

(20%) - Participation in class

(30%) – Group work

(50%) - Final oral exam

Langue(s) d'évaluation

  • anglais
  • (éventuellement Espagnol, français, Italien )

Programmes