The study of race and ethnicity is integral to the discipline of sociology. Sociology connects these mutually reinforcing, overlapping symbolic categories to the idea of majority and minority groups and social structures of inequality, power, and stratification. Race is socially constructed, yet influences how we see the world around us, how we view ourselves, and how we divide “us” from “them.”

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology is committed to promoting the values of diversity, equity, and human rights and to confronting racism in our fields of research, our university, and our classrooms. To support these efforts, we have compiled and will continue to share resources for thinking sociologically and drawing upon a sociological perspective for confronting racism in everyday life and in our social institutions. A central component of this program is a site of collected resources for confronting racism, which reflects the perspectives of scholars, authors, and other creators who are rooted in the anthropological and sociological traditions.

Today we are announcing the next piece in this site and initiative: Confronting Racism: Sociology Resources. The new page includes readings and recommendations from our department’s sociologists, as well as resources for understanding sociological perspectives on race, anti-racism, activism, policing, citizenship, and more. It will be updated regularly to reflect our conversations with students, colleagues, and the SoAn community, as well as current events and partner contributions.

This page complements our previously announced Anthropology Resources page, and both can be accessed through this link for the site.

In the fall semester, and we plan to work with SoAn students on a discussion and speaker series, which will draw on the sources collected on these pages as well as student and partner suggestions.

If you are interested in contributing to these resources or participating in the organization of the fall series, please contact Gareth Barkin and/or Jason Struna.