You may quote the textbook in your presentation and your written assignment as long as you use quotation marks and page numbers and follow quotes with an explanation of what the quote MEANS. You may quote external sources if you provide a link, but do not include other people's analysis of the ideas. You are being graded on YOUR analysis of the ideas. If you plan to show a video clip to illustrate application of a theory, you may only show one minute or less during your presentation. You may email me a link of a longer clip to accompany your writing assignment.
1. The textbook authors argue that the Souls of Black Folk was such a significant contribution because it 1) exposed a major intellectual and political schism in the black community, 2) it used the voice of "spiritual persuasion" and 3) offered new theoretical contributions. Explain the intellectual and political schism, according to DuBois. Where does he place himself and how does he defend his position? Describe and give examples of spiritual persuasion and explain why it was effective. What were some of its theoretical contributions? How did DuBois's theoretical concepts change the way people thought about race at the time of writing?
2. Define and explain Du Bois's concepts of the veil, double-consciousness, and the color line. Explain how these concepts might help to explain one of the following: a) the social construction of Italians as white, b) the rejection of the Black Lives Matter movement by some African Americans, c) another example of your choice.
3. Based on DuBois's work and/or future work it inspired in the sociology of race, argue why race is crucial to study to better understand social order. Explain how race is used to organize society, distribute power and/or material resources, and how individual perceptions and experiences vary because of race (You might need to do some research on this for concrete examples). What would we miss as sociologists if we ignored how race shapes our social order? Try to use examples from media or your own life to justify your claims.
4. DuBois wrote, "The problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line-the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea." Explain what DuBois means by this.