Psychology of Ethnic Relations

This course will provide an in-depth understanding of the social psychological aspects of intergroup relations, particularly between majority and minority ethnic groups, although some time will be reserved for studying the relationships between religious groups. The literature focuses on theories and empirical research that deal with factors determining mutual perceptions of ethnic groups and the consequences of these perceptions. Ethnic groups define themselves as different from others in terms of real and imagined cultural and historical factors. At the same time real as well as imagined factors play a role in the nature and dynamics of ethnic relations. The course will cover general psychological processes, but we will also use concrete examples of intergroup conflicts to facilitate the understanding of the theories. We will read literature about self-categorisation processes, group belonging and identification, ethnic threat, stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. We will consider the main theoretical explanations of negative reactions between ethnic groups and evaluate the empirical evidence. Next to searching for causes of prejudice in the characteristics and perceptions of individuals, we will also examine the role of the wider social context and its implications for social cohesion.
 

There are two meetings each week; the first meeting usually includes a lecture, and the rest of the time is spent on presentations by students and group discussions. All students are expected to complete the weekly readings and actively participate in the class discussions. Students read the literature and prepare it in a critical way. There are regular student presentations as well as a general class discussions about the main issues. In addition, there will be a mid-term exam and an individual paper in the form of a research proposal. Throughout the course, several sessions are dedicated to guest lectures, (peer) feedback sessions, and interactive group activities