What Can Statistics Teach Us About Racial Inequality in America?
Statistics are awesome; seriously. This course is designed to introduce students to the style of analytic thinking required for conducting research in the social sciences, the methods used in the conduct of empirical political science research, and the use of computational algorithms for analysis of such data. To be blunt, this class should impart a set of skills that are crucial for understanding current research you will encounter in other political science classes, and enable you to consider doing research on your own. Beyond simply learning how to be a more critical participant in the public realm, by the end of the intensive seminar, you will also be better-prepared to take courses which employ quantitative methods.
The substantive focus of this seminar is on inequality in America, specifically inequality across racial lines. We know from countless studies that black Americans face systemic obstacles that have kept them from performing as well as white Americans in a variety of domains: involvement with the police or criminal justice system, disparate health outcomes, neighborhood school quality, educational attainment, inter-generational accumulation/transfer of wealth, housing discrimination, and poverty. There is overwhelming evidence that the experience one has of growing up in America is largely a function of the color of their skin. This course uses data from social science research to illustrate this. My intention in this class is to have students become familiar with basic statistical concepts, and capable of calculating basic statistics using free statistical software. The course is set up in such a way as to emphasize learning over memorization. The ultimate goal, in this intensive first-year seminar, is to have students reach a level of literacy that will allow you to critically consume and effectively produce quantitative research. The final assignment asks students to flesh out a basic research presentation, focusing on the basics: identifying a question, citing relevant literature, developing a theory, analyzing data, and presenting the results. The point of the exercises is to cultivate students' own curiosity and channel it into active learning.
This course is eligible for honors credit through the Hutton Honors College.
Catalog Information: COLL-S 104 FRESHMAN SEMINAR IN S&H