AMCULT 103 - First Year Seminar in American Studies
Winter 2023, Section 003 - Science, Technology, and Racial Capitalism
Instruction Mode: Section 003 is  In Person (see other Sections below)
Subject: American Culture (AMCULT)
Department: LSA American Culture
See additional student enrollment and course instructor information to guide you in your decision making.

Details

Credits:
3
Requirements & Distribution:
HU
Other:
FYSem
Waitlist Capacity:
unlimited
Consent:
With permission of instructor.
Advisory Prerequisites:
Enrollment restricted to first-year students, including those with sophomore standing.
Repeatability:
May not be repeated for credit.
Primary Instructor:
Start/End Date:
Full Term 1/4/23 - 4/18/23 (see other Sections below)
NOTE: Drop/Add deadlines are dependent on the class meeting dates and will differ for full term versus partial term offerings.
For information on drop/add deadlines, see the Office of the Registrar and search Registration Deadlines.

Description

“Racial capitalism” refers to the fact that to generate profits, capitalism exploits – and in turn produces – differences among peoples. Not just differences in “race” but also gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, and physical abilities, among many other distinctions that can be used to create hierarchies of human worth and disposability.

In this seminar, we will study the roles that science plays in racial capitalism. We will explore how scientific work facilitates the differentiation of people into groups in order to control human reproduction and social life – as part of the quest for wealth accumulation.

We will draw examples from several scientific fields, such as biology and psychology, but pay special attention to the roles that statistics and computation play in manufacturing and exploiting difference. Throughout the course, we will look for moments of rebellion against racial capitalism and mainstream scientific practice, and the possibility of alternatives.

We will discuss topics such as eugenics, intelligence testing, racialized medicine, and reproductive technologies. And we will strive to situate scientific theories and practices within the broad agendas of institutions such as the state, the academy, the prison, and the hospital.

 

*Registration Note*

FYS is reserved for first-year students, any students who are not Y1 students will not be permitted to register. Additionally, seats for FYS are not all released at once - they are released in batches. Please continue to monitor Wolverine Access to view seat openings.

Schedule

AMCULT 103 - First Year Seminar in American Studies
Schedule Listing
001 (SEM)
 In Person
33271
Closed
0
3Y1
3Enrollment Management
-
MW 2:30PM - 4:00PM
1/4/23 - 4/18/23
002 (SEM)
 In Person
33391
Closed
0
4Y1
6Enrollment Management
-
MW 11:30AM - 1:00PM
1/4/23 - 4/18/23
003 (SEM)
 In Person
34822
Closed
0
2Y1
-
MW 2:30PM - 4:00PM
1/4/23 - 4/18/23
004 (SEM)
 In Person
34844
Open
5
2Enrollment Management
1Y1
-
TuTh 10:00AM - 11:30AM
1/4/23 - 4/18/23
005 (SEM)
 In Person
39810
Closed
0
 
-
TuTh 4:00PM - 5:30PM
1/4/23 - 4/18/23

Textbooks/Other Materials

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Click the button below to view and buy textbooks for AMCULT 103.003

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Syllabi

Syllabi are available to current LSA students. IMPORTANT: These syllabi are provided to give students a general idea about the courses, as offered by LSA departments and programs in prior academic terms. The syllabi do not necessarily reflect the assignments, sequence of course materials, and/or course expectations that the faculty and departments/programs have for these same courses in the current and/or future terms.

Click the button below to view historical syllabi for AMCULT 103 (UM login required)

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CourseProfile (Atlas)

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CourseProfile (Atlas)