Instructor: James Cramer, Department of Sociology, College of Letters and Science

Description: Due mainly to immigration, the ethnic composition of California is changing dramatically and diversifying rapidly. California is emerging as a truly 'multicultural' society. It remains to be seen, however, just what this new society will be like. Some view current trends with excitement, others with alarm. There is, in fact, historical precedent for current trends, from which perhaps we can learn much. This is America’s second Great Age of Immigration, and it comes exactly 100 years after the first. In the earlier wave of mass immigration, in the short run there were numerous conflicts and tensions as ethnic groups competed for a place in the sun. In the long run, however, the ethnic groups learned to live together peacefully, intermarried, and assimilated. Will history repeat itself, or is the second Great Age of Immigration qualitatively different from the first? This is the topic of this seminar: to examine the evolution of ethnic identities over time. In examining this issue we will draw upon our experiences growing up as well as our experiences and observations here on campus.

Format: The seminar will meet once a week for two hours during the first 8 weeks of the quarter. We will discuss the assigned readings and apply them to our lives and our experiences on campus. Several of the class meetings will be enriched by a relevant video or guest speaker. The assigned readings will be taken primarily from the following texts:

Mary Waters, "Ethnic Options: Choosing Identity in America"
Gap Min (ed.), "Second Generation: Ethnic Identity Among Asian Americans"

Students will be expected to complete the assigned readings before class and to participate actively in class discussion. Each students must help lead one class discussion. Students must complete an original research project related to ethnic identity, briefly describe the research to the class at the last class meeting, and submit a 6-8 page written report. The research must involve personal interviews. Grading: The course grade will be determined as follows: [1] class participation, as judged by the student, other students, and the instructor (40%); [2] leadership of one class discussion (10%); [3] a 1-page research proposal (10%); and [4] a written research report and oral presentation of research (40%).

About the Instructor: James Cramer, a Professor of Sociology, teaches courses on population and the environment, research methods, immigration and 'multiculturalism,' helps direct the 'Multicultural' Immersion Program, and supervises numerous student research projects on immigration and ethnic identity. This year he serves half-time as Faculty Assistant to Vice Provosts and as Interim Director of the Internship and Career Center. Non-academically, his ethnic identity is Californian (5th generation) and his passion is mountain climbing.