I agree with Jack. I have used the "Race: The Power of an Illusion" video series for the last several years, in both my Intro Soc., Race and Ethnicity, and Research Methods classes, since it's one of the few documentaries that really articulates how race as a social construction was developed in the U.S. In addition, it provides historical linkages of how past policies, practices and decisions continue to manifest in present day in income inequality, home ownership and other significant 'life chances.'
I would highly recommend it - especially Episodes 2 and 3. Here's the website: http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm - Jan Buhrmann ========================== Jan Buhrmann, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Sociology Illinois College E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 217-245-3877 "Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions that differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions." -- Albert Einstein -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jack Estes Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 8:39 AM To: [email protected] Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: Sociological insights Wonder if you know about that DVD called "Race: The Power of an Illusion." One of the three segments is about DNA testing (at a Cold Spring HS, near the Cold Spring Lab on Long Island, NY). It reveals how, yes, the DNA can show what "tribe" you descended from, but, interestingly, the whitest kid in the class and the blackest both descended from the same "tribe," or very nearly the same. Certainly the same area. Skin color was definitely NOT a factor in terms of which kids had DNA collaboration with which other kids. There's often more DNA difference between two members of that "tribe" than there is between two people with completely different skin colors and backgrounds. Overall I think it's a remarkable DVD (all three parts) focusing on race as a social construction. One of the most interesting segments also deals with how different states and different countries define "blackness" in different terms. That seems to really emphasize the concept of social construction. When one can walk across a state border and change race, well, that sort of destroys the definition. Jack Estes BMCC/CUNY NYC --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Teaching Sociology" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/teachsoc -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
