In the HS2011 course we will explore — through texts, talk, blogs, film and applied projects — how and why ethnicity and ethnic relations arguably remains crucial and controversial to understanding the constitution of society. Together we will analyze complex and intense sociological issues including: genocide, warfare, ethnic and race relations, sectarian/community conflict, multicultural policies, indigenous rights, affirmative action and migration. We also discuss potential pathways to overcoming ethnic conflicts.

This course intends to equip participants with basic analytical tools for better understanding and critiquing issues, policies or controversies about ethnicity and ethnic relations. Overall this HS2011 course will deepen your knowledge through 5 key learning outcomes. By the end of this course the aim is that you will:

• learn to engage with theoretical frameworks about ethnicity/ethnic relations in order to better understand and assess key issues and policies both locally and globally;
• gain the abilities to evaluate specific cases about ethnic relations and ethic conflict(s) through the use of both individual and team-oriented research skills;
• develop the analytical skills to intelligently discuss/debate how ethnic issues are deeply intertwined with questions of power, politics, knowledge, tradition and territoriality;
• learn, through your readings and research, how ethnicity is interwoven with the construction of concepts like ‘race’, ‘nationalism,’ ‘religion’, ‘community’ and ‘identity’;
• deepen your writing and media skills so that you can share and engage with key issues and policies about ethnicity with wider public.