Scholarly Discussions of Race
One of your assignments in this class requires you to engage with and reflect upon discussions of race from various disciplines. Below are some examples of statements on race from members and organizations representing their scholarly fields.
- AAA Statement on RaceStatement by the American Anthropological Association. You likely already encountered this source with your professor.
- AABA Statement on Race & RacismStatement from the American Association of Biological Anthropologists
- APA Guidelines on Race and Ethnicity in PsychologyGuidelines from the American Psychological Association
- ASA Statement on the Importance of Teaching and Learning About Race and RacismStatement by the American Sociological Association
You may also find specific scholarly articles from scholars in your given discipline useful in developing your understanding of race in that field. Below are some examples.
Identifying and Evaluating Reputable Sources
In the process of completing your assignment, you may choose to conduct research to identify scholarly representations of race. If you do so, it is important to be sure that your information comes from reputable sources.
Searching the Web
- For official statements and representations from members of scholarly disciplines, look for statements by professional organizations such as the American Sociological Association (ASA) or the American Anthropological Association (AAA).
- Look for evidence of authenticity and authority -- Is this the organization's official website? What is the reputation of this organization? Is it qualified to speak on behalf of the field?
- Is it timely? Certain fields move faster than others, but our understanding of race as a society has been growing and changing rapidly in recent years. Be certain that the information is still accurate and relevant in the context of today's reality
- Not sure if you can trust a source? When in doubt, as your instructor or librarian!
Searching Scholarly Articles
- Take advantage of library resources available to you to identify scholarly representations of race published in journal articles
- Diversify and corroborate--do not take the word of one scholar as representative of the entire discipline. Look into the author's other works and the statements of other authors on the same topic. Scholarship is conversation! Disagreement is okay!
- Visit the "Find Articles" page of this guide for best bets in your scholarly research