Intergroup Relations
Department Overview
Intergroup Relations (IGR) is designed for students with a curricular interest in race, social justice, and dialogic pedagogies. IGR links the study of systems of oppression to lived experience. Intergroup Relations courses ground students with a foundational understanding of racial identity within the U.S., linking to other aspects of identity as lived within intersecting systems of domination, such as gender, sexuality, class, religion, and nationality. The program bridges theory and content with group process and experiential exercises, using the practice of dialogue as a means of communicating across difference, surfacing and working with conflict, and affecting positive social change. Students apply IGR theory and content by participating in and facilitating dialogues with other students. The minor culminates with the opportunity for students to work with peers as co-facilitators of campus dialogues. Minors acquire skills applicable across academic disciplines and professional fields. Indeed, the ability to effectively engage in difficult conversations transcends the classroom to impact interactions in the home, workplace and community at-large.
CORE Faculty
IGR and Black Studies: Lisa Grady-Willis, Program Director
Sociology and IGR: Jennifer Mueller, Program Associate Director
Affiliated Faculty
Art History: Katie Hauser
International Student Services: Chloe Jaleel
Lucy Scribner Library: Marta Brunner
Opportunity Program: Kelli Rouse
Political Science and Gender Studies: Kate Graney
Student Academic Services: Jamin Totino
Intergroup Relations Minor
The IGR minor requires a minimum of 18 credits, including the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Courses | 6-8 | |
| Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Differences, Select a section below: | 2 | |
| Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: People of Color/White People | ||
| Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: Multiracial Identity | ||
| Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: White Racial Identity | ||
| Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: People of Color Intragroup | ||
| Race, Power, and Dialogue | ||
| Special Topics in Intergroup Relations | ||
| A Black Woman Speaks: Will you fight with me? | ||
| Advanced Special Topics in Intergroup Relations Theory and Praxis | ||
| Advanced Facilitation Course | 4 | |
| Social Justice Dialogue: Theory and Praxis | ||
or SO 361 | Social Justice Dialogue: Theory and Praxis | |
| Capstone Experience | 2-5 | |
| Practicum in Facilitating and Dialogue Facilitation 2 | ||
or IG 366 | Advanced Social Justice Application | |
| Cross-Disciplinary Electives | 3-4 | |
| Select one of the following: 3 | ||
Choice of courses that provide a theoretical foundation focused on a particular racial identity group, a race-focused topical area, and/or with identity foci that demonstrate intersectionality with race, including but not limited to: | ||
| Critical Whiteness in the US | ||
| Black Feminist Thoughts | ||
| Black Panther Archive | ||
| Introduction to African-American Literature | ||
| Special Topics in Gender Studies (When the course offered is Confronting Caste.) | ||
| Introduction to Latina/o/e/x Studies | ||
| Special Topics: Libraries and Prisons | ||
| Introduction to Race, Class, and Gender | ||
| Power, Privilege and Oppression: Advancing Social Justice | ||
| Black Theater | ||
| Total Hours | 17-23 | |
Course Listing
IG 201 - Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: People of Color/White People
Credits: 2
An exploration of racial identity, intersectionality, conflict, and community using dialogue as a tool for social justice education. Trained peer-facilitators guide students through a structured process that deepens self-awareness while developing inter- and intra-group communication skills and understanding. Honoring lived experiences alongside historical and theoretical insights, students grapple with challenging issues such as cancel culture, immigration, and interracial relationships, while making space for curiosity, discomfort, and growth.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
IG 202 - Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: Multiracial Identity
Credits: 2
An exploration of racial identity, intersectionality, conflict, and community using dialogue as a tool for social justice education. Trained peer-facilitators guide students through a structured process that deepens self-awareness while developing inter- and intra-group communication skills and understanding. Honoring lived experiences alongside historical and theoretical insights, students grapple with challenging issues such as cancel culture, immigration, and interracial relationships, while making space for curiosity, discomfort, and growth.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
IG 203 - Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: White Racial Identity
Credits: 2
An exploration of racial identity, intersectionality, conflict, and community using dialogue as a tool for social justice education. Trained peer-facilitators guide students through a structured process that deepens self-awareness while developing inter- and intra-group communication skills and understanding. Honoring lived experiences alongside historical and theoretical insights, students grapple with challenging issues such as cancel culture, immigration, and interracial relationships, while making space for curiosity, discomfort, and growth.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
IG 204 - Peer-to-Peer Dialogues Across Difference: People of Color Intragroup
Credits: 2
An exploration of racial identity, intersectionality, conflict, and community using dialogue as a tool for social justice education. Trained peer-facilitators guide students through a structured process that deepens self-awareness while developing inter- and intra-group communication skills and understanding. Honoring lived experiences alongside historical and theoretical insights, students grapple with challenging issues such as cancel culture, immigration, and interracial relationships, while making space for curiosity, discomfort, and growth.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
IG 251 - Special Topics in Intergroup Relations
Credits: 1-4
An examination of special topics, methods, and areas in intergroup relations. Specific topics vary by instructor and semester.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
Note(s): May be repeated for credit if on a different topic.
IG 262 - Taking the Journey Home
Credits: 3
An examination of the concept of home as it relates to the historical and contemporary realities of Black people in the United States. Using the work of renowned scholars and writers such as bell hooks and Toni Morrison, students explore notions of home as a catalyst for, IGR, dialogue both within and between families and communities. Students interrogate their own experiences of home as they grow as a community of writers and critical thinkers.
IG 275 - A Black Woman Speaks: Will you fight with me?
Credits: 3
What is the fight and how do we engage? This course guides students in an examination of the historical and societal context as well as contemporary applicability of pieces that dare folks to engage on a visceral level (music, theater, poetry, prose). Students will explore creative works and oratorical moments that issue a call-to-action, while giving voice and visibility to Black women. Students will articulate their own calls-to-action relative to current realities, as well as participate in the conceptualization of a course-inspired campus event bridging Black History Month and Women’s History Month.
Prerequisites: SSP 100.
Note(s): Fulfills Bridge Experience requirement.
IG 351 - Advanced Special Topics in Intergroup Relations Theory and Praxis
Credits: 1-4
An examination at the advanced level of special topics, methods, and areas in intergroup relations theory and praxis. Specific topics vary by instructor and semester.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
Note(s): May be repeated for credit if on a different topic.
IG 361 - Social Justice Dialogue: Theory and Praxis
Credits: 4
An integration of social theory and praxis in a seminar that prepares students to facilitate intergroup and intragroup social justice dialogues exploring race and intersecting identities. How can we learn to engage more effectively about race, power, and privilege? What factors hinder meaningful engagement? What skills promote both interracial and intra-racial communication on important social issues? Through readings on social identity theory, reflective and analytic writing, and experiential practice of dialogic communication skills, students learn to facilitate dialogues on provocative topics such as cancel culture, immigration, and interracial relationships.
Prerequisites: Grade of B or better in one of the following and permission of instructor: IG 201, IG 275, IG 262, SO219, IG 251, IG 351.
Note(s): IG361 is identical to SO361 except that the latter is taught by at least one Sociology faculty member.
IG 364 - Practicum in Facilitating
Credits: 3
A course that helps students develop and improve their skills as dialogue facilitators. This will be done in the context of the belief that facilitation skills can be used throughout life to create social change. Good facilitators are social change agents. Moreover, by debriefing their actual dialogue experiences, facilitators can deepen their learning about racial identity, discrimination, privilege, and social justice.
Prerequisites: Grade of B or better in IG 361 and permission of instructor.
Note(s): Must be taken concurrently with IG 365.
IG 365 - Dialogue Facilitation
Credits: 2
An intergroup or intragroup dialogue course in which students facilitate dialogues about racial identity, conflict, community, and social justice.
Prerequisites: Grade of B or better in IG 361 and permission of instructor.
Note(s): Must be taken concurrently with IG 364.
IG 366 - Advanced Social Justice Application
Credits: 2-5
A capstone experience option for IGR minors. Students conceptualize and execute a project that shares intergroup relations tenets with the campus community and/or community-at-large, under the guidance of intergroup relations program faculty.
Note(s): Students considering this option should meet with one of the program directors to discuss project feasibility and timeline.
IG 371 - Independent Study
Credits: 1-4
A program of individual reading and research under the direction of the intergroup relations faculty.
SO 219 - Race, Power, and Dialogue
Credits: 4
A critical study of race, racism, and racial power in the United States, as connected to global and historical forces. This course combines social theory, reflexive analysis, peer-to-peer dialogue, and collaborative group work to examine how race is constructed, lived, reproduced, and contested within systems of domination and resistance. Topics include racial socialization, racial identity development, and intersectionality; the historical processes of racialization that mark bodies, spaces, and practices; systemic racism across institutional domains that include law, education, and media; and strategies for challenging racism and advancing racial justice in communities, organizations, and everyday life. Beyond content learning, students develop applied skills for self-examination, dialoguing across differences, working with conflict, and aligning values and practice.
Prerequisites: SSP 100, and either SO 101 or IG 201 or BST 101 or LA 201; and permission of instructor.
Note(s): Fulfills Bridge Experience requirement.
SO 361 - Social Justice Dialogue: Theory and Praxis
Credits: 4
An integration of social theory and praxis in a seminar that prepares students to facilitate intergroup and intragroup social justice dialogues exploring race and intersecting identities. How can we learn to engage more effectively about race, power, and privilege? What factors hinder meaningful engagement? What skills promote both interracial and intraracial communication on important social issues? Through readings in social identity theory, reflective and analytic writing, and experiential practice of dialogic communication skills, students learn to facilitate dialogues on provocative topics, such as cancel culture, immigration, and interracial relationships.
Prerequisites: Grade of B or better in one of the following courses: SO219 or IG 201 or IG 262 or IG 275 or IG 251 or IG 351; and permission of instructor.
Note(s): SO361 is identical to IG361 except that the former is taught by at least one Sociology faculty member.