This seminar on racial attitudes is designed to examine the various controversies that surround the role of race or ethnicity in American society and in various countries around the world. For example, what is the source of our attitudes about race and racial policies? Are prejudices and negative stereotypes the result of pre-adult socialization? Or are they motivated by a desire to protect the privileges of the in-group and to preserve their position in the socio-economic hierarchy? What roles do societal elites (e.g., politicians, media figures, etc.) play in shaping racial attitudes? How, and under what circumstances, are racial attitudes associated with candidate preferences and policy preferences? How can racial animosities be diminished? How have racial attitudes changed overtime? This course will seek to answer these questions while also exploring the historical antecedents of racial conflict in the US, and internationally.