Lecture Notes: W.E.B. DuBois and Race-Conflict Theory

Introduction

• W.E.B. DuBois: Influential sociologist and civil rights activist.
• First African American with a Harvard PhD.
• Co-founded NAACP and The Crisis magazine.

Early Life and Education

• Born in Massachusetts, 1868, five years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
• Education included studying in Europe and college in the South.

Race as a Social Construct

• 19th-century view: Race was a biological construct.
• Modern perspective: Race is socially constructed, changes over time and location.
• Example: Irish and Italian Americans' shifting racial identities.

Double-Consciousness

• DuBois' concept of double-consciousness: Dual identity as an American and as a Black person.
• Fracture in identity when living in a dominant race society.

The Philadelphia Negro Study

• Conducted in 1896 by DuBois for the University of Pennsylvania.
• Survey of 9,675 African Americans in 7th Ward, Philadelphia.
• Findings highlighted discrepancies in living conditions between Black and White Americans.
• Concluded that racial prejudice, not inferiority, caused community issues.

Racial Formation Theory

• Describes how social, political, and economic forces shape racial categories.
• Reinforcement of racial inequalities through systemic structures, e.g., labor unions excluding Black workers.

DuBois' Activism

• Co-founded NAACP in 1909, aimed to combat racial injustice.
• NAACP's The Crisis magazine: Advocacy through journalism and legal action.

Modern Impact

• DuBois' work laid the foundation for modern studies on:
  • Racial identity
  • Racial formation
  • Racial politics
  • Racial resistance
• Example: Eduardo Bonilla-Silva's theory of "racism without racists."

Conclusion

• Discussed DuBois’ influence on sociology and race-conflict theory.
• Preview of next topic: Gender-conflict theory.