University Bulletin
Undergraduate Degree Programs
GEOG 425
Geography of Race, Class, and Poverty in America (3) This class will study the geography of race, class, and poverty in America today.
GEOG 425
GEOG 425 Geography of Race, Class, and Poverty in America
The terms Race, Class, and Poverty are often discussed in the same breadth in academic scholarship. Research by a range of scholars including William Julius Wilson, Derrick Bell, Chuck Collins, Felice Yeskel, and others portrays the interwoven relationships between economic status, economic security, and ethnic heritage. Despite this powerful and abundant literature, few scholars examine the spatial interactions between Race, Class, and Poverty. The class will introduce students to a range of literatures on the meaning of Race, Class, and Poverty in America today. We will situate these terms in their local spatial context and investigate how location influences perceptions of the meaning of Race, Class, and Poverty. We will blend historical, contemporary, theoretical and empirical scholarship as we investigate the meaning, understanding and manifestation of Race, Class and Poverty in the US. Beginning with history, we will move through the 20th century examining how economic and political cycles have influenced social understanding of these terms. There will be a particular focus on deconstructing the measurement and meaning of the terms and their use in public policy discussions based on perceptual understandings of the terms Race, Class, and Poverty. Films will be an integral part of the class. We will watch classic, historical and contemporary films on the meaning and experience of Race, Class, and Poverty in the US. We will move from the Great Depression through the Dustbowl and on the Civil Rights Movement, the War on Poverty, and the backlash years of the 1980s. We also will examine powerful contemporary media images of Race, Class, and Poverty as seen through the lens of place and identity.
Note : Class size, frequency of offering, and evaluation methods will vary by location and instructor. For these details check the specific course syllabus.