Sociology 46N Syllabus
"Race, Ethnic and National Identities: Imagined Communities"
Spring 2026
Class Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3P-4:20
Bldg 160-rm 318
Michael J. Rosenfeld
Professor
Department of Sociology
McClatchy Hall (Building 120) room 124
What does it mean when someone identifies themselves as White? or Black? or Irish? or American? or Irish American? or Tibetan? or a Man? How do new identities get created and legitimated? What does it mean to try on a different identity, i.e. to 'pass'? National groups and ethnic groups are so large that one individual can only possibly know an infinitesimal fraction of the other members of the group. What then explains the seeming coherence of the groups? If identities are a product of the imagination, why are people willing to fight and die for them?
Grading:
1 Class Presentation 20%
3 Short Papers 60%
Class Participation 20%
Requirements:
This seminar will require careful reading, consistent class participation, 3 short papers, and one class presentation (which will be based on that week's reading assignment). There are no exams. Depending on class size, you may be able to make a second in-class presentation, and substitute that for the third paper (so 2 presentations and 2 papers instead of 1 presentation and 3 papers). Every reading assignment will be accompanied by 2 or more questions to guide your reading. These questions will be posted on my website (http://www.stanford.edu/~mrosenfe). These questions should guide your reading, your writing assignments, and your class presentation. Papers should be short- 2 or 3 pages- and should answer the questions I pose about the reading. The length restriction on papers is designed to force your essays to be concise. You may hand in essays in any 3 of the 9 weeks of class. You may hand in written assignments in more than 3 weeks, and in that case your grade will reflect the best 3 assignments you turn in. Because the written assignments are designed to stimulate class discussion, no late papers will be accepted and no incompletes for the course will be granted. Class presentations will be 10-15 minutes in length.
Books to be Purchased from Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1VCMWGWUNDOH2
Note: All the readings should be available at the Green Library reserve desk
Note also: the Ignatiev book is available as an e-book through the Stanford library (but you should buy it anyway!). Some of the other books are listed in Stanford Library website as available online, but they aren’t actually.
Ignatiev, Noel. 1995. How the Irish Became White. New York: Routledge . 0415963095, $29
F. James Davis. 1991. Who is Black: One Nation's Definition. Pennsylvania State University Press. 0271021721, $24
Benedict Anderson. 1991. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso. ISBN-10: 1844670864, $16
Gould, Stephen Jay. 1996. The Mismeasure of Man. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN-10: 0393314251, $15
Tatum, Beverly. 2003. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity. New York: Basic Books. 0465083617, $13
Stoler, Ann Laura. 1997. "Carnal Knowledge and Imperial Power" Ch 1 in The Gender/ Sexuality Reader, edited by Lancaster and di Leonardo. Routledge. ISBN 0415910056, buy it used. Plus further readings from the book TBA.
Other Readings, available or on Library Reserve, or linked from Rosenfeld’s website:
Gans, Herbert. 1979. "Symbolic Ethnicity: The Future of Ethnic Groups and Cultures in America" Ethnic and Racial Studies 2: 1-20
Garfinkel, Howard. 1967. "Passing and the Managed Achievement of Sex Status in an 'Intersexed' Person part 1" p. 166-185 in Studies in Ethnomethodology. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice- Hall
Reading Assignments:
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Week 1: |
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March 31 |
Introduction to the class |
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April 2 |
Symbolic Ethnicity: The Future of Ethnic Groups and Cultures in America |
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Week 2: |
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Apr 7 |
Imagined Communities Ch 1-4 |
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Apr 9 |
Imagined Communities Ch 5, 6 |
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Week 3: |
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Apr 14 |
Imagined Communities finish the book |
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Apr 16 |
No class |
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Week 4: |
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Apr 21 |
How the Irish Became White, Introduction + Chapter 1 |
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Apr 23 |
How the Irish, Chapters 2, 3, and 4 |
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Week 5: |
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Apr 28 |
How the Irish, finish the book |
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April 30 |
Who is Black? Ch 1-5 |
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Week 6: |
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May 5 |
Who is Black? Finish the book |
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May 7 |
No Class |
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Week 7: |
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May 12 |
Why Are All the Black Kids... Chapters 1-4 |
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May 14 |
Why Are All the Black Kids... Chapters 5-8 |
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Week 8: |
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May 19 |
Carnal Knowledge (by Stoler, in the Gender/Sexuality reader) |
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May 21 |
Passing, and the Managed Achievement of Sex Status, (By Garfinkel) |
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Week 9: |
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May 26 |
The Mismeasure of Man Chapter 2 (on craniometry) |
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May 28 |
The Mismeasure of Man Chapter 5 (On IQ), plus P. 264-269 on Cyril Burt |
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Week 10: |
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June 2 |
No assignment, last class |
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