Pedagogy on Teaching Race & Law: Beyond "Talk Show" Discussions

To enhance the learning process in courses that involve race, instructors should consider the following four components: (1) history, (2) statistical data, (3) social science, and (4) critical analysis on how the law is shaped. Each of the four components adds a critical dimension to the course. This article will discuss the use of these four components. The author uses the topic of affirmative action in the academic setting to illustrate the importance of examining each requirement. Part II of this paper will discuss the importance of history in analyzing the connection between race and law. Part III will discuss the importance of using statistical data to visualize the status of people of color in education and other settings. Part IV explores the role social science research can play in legal analysis. Part V discusses the need for critical analysis on how the law is shaped. Finally, Part VI provides a few concluding thoughts.