DSOC 25A28 - Race, discrimination and racial inequalities on both sides of the Atlantic

DSOC 25A28 · Fall semester 2026-2027

Language of tuition
English
Course type
Cours séminaire
Number of hours
24
Credits
5

Information

Description

This course focuses on race, discrimination and racial inequalities. The course will address three key questions:

  • What is race as perceived in the U.S. and Europe, and what are the sources of racial inequalities?
  • What does social science research tell us about patterns and trends of racial inequalities?
  • What policies can alleviate racial inequalities? The course will systematically adopt comparative perspectives focusing on the North American and European contexts. We will also address research on race and racial inequality within an interdisciplinary lens particularly building on sociology, economics and social psychology.

Prerequisites

This course will suit students who are interested in both economics and sociology. Sciences Po students who are enrolled in the “economy & society” major will particularly make the most of it, as well as exchange students and students from other majors who are interested in both these disciplines.

This course being a joint course between Paris and New York, PLEASE NOTE THE SCHEDULE IS ATYPICAL: 4PM TO 6PM. Thank you for double checking if you are not enrolled in another class at the same time.

Teaching format

This course is designed for undergraduate students from both institutions. We aim for a class of 30 students (15 from each partner university) in order to be able to organize in-depth discussions and systematic comparative thinking. Class will take place once a week (for 2 hours). The classes will be organized in a hybrid format. In each campus, the professor will teach his/her class in person and the two classes will be connected via Zoom. The Columbia and Science Po professors will thus co-teach a virtually connected class. The professors will closely coordinate and alternate in leading the lecture and discussion parts of each class.

Columbia Team: Prof. Thomas DiPrete and Prof Marissa Thompson.

Assessment

Attendance and participation10%
Group Presentation20%
Group Project30%
Final Paper50%

Readings

Main readings 3

  1. Chapman, H., & Frader, L. L. (Eds.). (2004). Race in France: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Politics of Difference (1st ed.). Berghahn Books. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt9qd4tb

    Borrow

  2. Morning, Ann and Marcello Maneri. 2022. An Ugly Word: Rethinking Race in Italy and the United States. New York: Russell Sage

    Borrow

  3. Murji K, Solomos J, eds. Theories of Race and Ethnicity: Contemporary Debates and Perspectives. Cambridge University Press; 2014.

    Borrow

Teaching units

Unit no.Unit type Teaching unitsTeachers Number of hoursCredits
16763Cours séminaire Race, discrimination and racial inequalities on both sides of the Atlantic Mirna SAFI245
16853Teaching assistant Race, discrimination and racial inequalities on both sides of the Atlantic —160
18920— Race, discrimination and racial inequalities on both sides of the Atlantic —160

Teachers

  • Mirna SAFI

In the curricula

Contacts and resources

Contact
DE MISCAULT Ségolène