World Cultural Studies

COMPARATIVE RACE RELATIONS: A HISTORY OF RACE RELATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA, BRAZIL, AND THE UNITED STATES.

A comparative examination of the development of multi-racial societies in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States and the impact of race on the political, social, and economic cultures of the respective countries.

Sponsored by Gary Hunter, Department of History, Rowan University.

I. RATIONALE

Comparative race relations is designed as a multicultural/global studies course that will examine the history of three societies through the prism of race relations. This course will provide a unique opportunity for students to simultaneously study the histories of three societies in different parts of the world. Comparative Race Relations will also be one of the few courses that will employ the methodologies of comparative history and sociological theory to explore the social, economic, political, and cultural development of three different societies.

This course can be used by students as a multicultural/global studies elective, a history elective, as well as, an elective in our African American Studies and International Studies programs.

II. ESSENCE OF THE COURSE

A. Objectives

On the completion of this course, students will be expected:

1. To be familiar with the methods of comparative history and social science theory in regards to race relations.
2. To understand European concepts of race, culture and hierarchy on the eve of colonialization.
3. To know how the forces of commerce, demography, and physical environment led to and shaped the institution of slavery in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States.
4. To understand the development of the ideologies and institutions of racism in South Africa and the United States and the relative absence of such in Brazil.
5. To be familiar with the patterns of interracial relations in South Africa, Brazil, and the United States.
6. To know how industrial revolution and capitalism shaped race relations in the three societies.
7. To be familiar with the organized efforts to restructure race relations in the United States and South Africa and know why no comparative efforts evolved in Brazil.

B. OUTLINE

I. Theoretical Perspectives

A. Sociological Paradigms
B. Historiography of Comparative History

II. Birth of New Societies: Colonization and Subjugation on Three Continents

A. Portuguese and Brazil- 1498-1700

1. The Reconquista, Prince Henry and African exploration and Commerce.
2. Native American Slavery 1500-1580.
3. Sugar, plantations and the emergence of African slavery, 1580- 1680.
4. Mining frontier and slavery, 1680-1800.

B. The English in North America- 1607-1700

1. The London Company and the settlement of Virginia, 1607.
2. Native American relations (Powhatans).
3. Tobacco, labor and the emergence of slavery, 1619-1700.

C. The Dutch and Cape Colony- 1651-1700

1. The East India Company and the settlement of Cape Town.
2. Early Native African Relations.
3. The Provisioning trade and interior expansion.
4. The Khoi Wars and the emergence of slavery.

III. Slavery, Race Relations and Colonial Cultures

A. The Demography of Multiracial Culture: Social constructs of interracial relations

B. Religion, Race, and Slavery

1. Red vs. Black: Catholicism and Slavery
2. The many faces of American Protestantism.
3. Dutch Reform Church in Cape Colony.

C. The Intellectual Construction of White Supremacy, 1795-1900

IV. Three Faces of Emancipation, 1833-1885

A. Imperial Reform in Cape Colony (1833)

B. Abolition on the Sly: The American Civil War (1861-1865)

C. Brazil: Abolition by Decay (1885)

V. Pedagogy of White Supremacy

A. Evolution of Segregation in the United States (1800-1900)

B. The Emergence of the Union of South Africa and the Origins of Apartheid (1910-1950)

C. Brazil: Customs of Color

VI. Politics of Liberation: 1909-1991

A. From the N.A.A.C.P. to Martin Luther King: Characteristics and Accomplishments of the 20th century African-American protest, 1909- 1980.

B. The multiple careers of the African National Congress from Sal Plaate (1911) to the election of Nelson Mandela.

C. Brazil: Neither Black nor White.

C. Evaluation of Students

As an upper level course, students are expected to complete either a historiographical essay, a book review, a periodic literature review, or a 10-12 page paper on a specific theme or topic.