BA3001: Race, Power, and Justice in Business

Business leaders make decisions in a world shaped by history?a history that includes slavery, indigenous dispossession, colonialism, and systemic inequality. These forces have left lasting imprints on our markets, organizations, business practices, and professional relationships. This course equips you to understand and address those realities by exploring the socially embedded nature of business and the ways race, power, and justice influence its past, present, and future. Instead of treating business practices as neutral or ahistorical, this course foregrounds the legacies of systemic inequity and examines how they continue to shape hiring, pay, marketing, leadership, and corporate strategy. You will learn to question common assumptions about meritocracy, free markets, and equal opportunity, and consider alternative models of economic and organizational practice. Along the way, we will also explore how companies can meaningfully advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that respond to these histories. The course moves from a macro-level analysis of historical and structural systems, to a mid-level focus on organizational practices, to an individual-level exploration of bias, leadership, and allyship. By the end, you will have the tools to critically evaluate business practices, engage in courageous and constructive dialogue, and design actionable strategies to promote equity and justice in your future career. BA 3001 fulfills the Race, Power, and Justice in the United States theme of the University of Minnesota?s Liberal Education requirement, preparing you to lead with awareness, integrity, and impact in diverse and complex environments. prereq: Carlson School of Management student

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