Title: Module 2 Introduction: (CU1 M2) Race and Ethnicity
Course: SkillsCom HDFS 201 16.0 > Section: Credit Unit 1 Module 2 - Race and Ethnicity

In this Module you will learn about the current and historical social construction of race, how societies define race, who benefits from, and who is hurt by these definitions. For example, at the time of an enormous influx of Irish immigrants to the United States, Irish were not considered white. Why do you suppose these new immigrants were not thought of as white? Having a sense of racial histories such as this is essential to appreciating the current circumstances of many families within these racial/ethnic groups.

You will be introduced to the history of immigrant groups in the United States, explore how Native Americans fit into this context, and you will learn how to distinguish race from ethnicity. Additionally, you will explore the current status of racial/ethnic families, how our institutions may inadvertently perpetuate discrimination and racism, and ways in which whites are privileged in our society, often without even realizing it.

Module Outcomes:

- Describe histories of minority groups in the United States.
- Compare and contrast histories across groups and within groups. For example, you will be able to compare and contrast histories of Native Americans and Hispanic Americans, and you will be able to compare and contrast histories of Mexican Americans and Cuban Americans.
- Explain how minority groups' histories affect their current status in the U.S.
- Define the concept of social construction of race.