Understanding Colorism and Gender Inequality through Media

Abstract

The objective of this assignment is have students exercise critical thinking skills in the ways they think about racial and ethnic inequalities. Racism is well documented, but we rarely examine and talk about skin color discrimination within minority groups. This assignment introduces students to the concept of colorism, its effects on racial stereotypes...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Race, Class and Gender

Resource Type(s):

Assignment

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

Materials:
• Colorism PowerPoint
• Essay Paper Assignment Instructions
• Essay Grading Rubric (Students should have a copy of the rubric for reference when the assignment is given.)
• Documentary: "Dark Girls" (2011)—available at University libraries, Netflix or Amazon instant video ($2.99 USD)

Procedure:
Following lecture(s)...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Understand and discuss how colorism originated and perpetuated by a variety of factors, including internalized racism and colonialism.
2. Analyze the documentary using the sociological imagination. Identify macro and micro factors at work in the social construction and persistence of colorism.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Completion of a take-home paper assignment where students will answer instructor-prompted questions after watching the documentary, "Dark Girls" (2011)
2. Apply sociological theories/perspectives to social inequalities discussed in lecture and the documentary. Answer instructor-prompted questions in a take-home paper assignment.