Identity Politics in Modern America

The term "identity politics" has become a staple of contemporary popular discourse, one typically associated with political mobilization around issues concerning one's selfhood. Yet, although the term has traditionally been directed at the activities of women, racial minorities, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ communities, the phenomenon extends well beyond recent times. This course explores how national, racial, ethnic, gender, and class identities have evolved in response to moments of significant social, political, and economic upheaval in modern American history. Beginning at the turn of the twentieth century, we will engage a range of historical studies that demonstrate how identity is politics, as well as how conflicts involving identity often reflect broader problems defining American life.