MA in Archaeology - Race, Difference, and Power in Charlotte United States | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Our identities are profoundly influenced by encounters with diversity and disparity, as well as by moments of unity and collective action. The Race, Difference, and Power (RDP) academic focus brings together scholars examining how racial dynamics, social distinctions, and power structures influence our interpersonal connections, personal journeys, sense of self, political landscapes, and capacity for action – while considering how historical patterns of oppression and cooperation continue to shape both contemporary realities and future possibilities.

This RDP program prioritizes racial analysis when investigating how social divisions and hierarchies not only organize societies but also create opportunities for empowerment. Recognizing Anthropology's historical role in developing racial theories that have been – and continue to be – employed to justify human categorization, we feel compelled to challenge false biological race concepts and examine the complex mechanisms through which racial constructs advantage certain groups while marginalizing others.
The phenomenon of racialization produces not just divisions but also shared identities – defining both what unites communities and what separates them. Through our focus on difference and power dynamics, we highlight their significance while recognizing that various forms of social stratification often intersect with racial factors.

Beyond examining racial and ethnic identities, the RDP curriculum investigates how gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and other social markers interact with and complicate racial systems and power relations. Our scholarly pursuits span historical contexts, political systems, spiritual traditions, artistic expressions, ecological challenges, public health, societal tensions, worldwide interconnectedness, and numerous community-specific matters. We're motivated by both symbolic meanings and tangible realities in our dedication to comprehending personal accounts of inequity, diversity, and influence – while confronting the broader societal and international factors that mold these lived experiences.