FYS 164 'Us' and 'Them': The Human Group Imperative

Will our future be one of continued divisiveness? Or are we 'progressing' towards global species consolidation and a decline in human diversity? In this seminar, we will examine evolutionary history to understand the human imperative to categorize people, exploring how 'race', ethnicity, nationality, and religion are used to define 'ingroups' and 'outgroups'. We also will ask if such groups are natural or artificial human constructs, acknowledging that such categorization leads to competition, stereotyping, discrimination and war.

Instructor

Leibel